Apple's CarPlay announcement back in March would have certainly caught the attention of many iPhone-toting drivers. But with the system to be integrated only in selected vehicles, at least initially, it may have left many scratching their head with their free hand. Pioneer has now come to the party, launching three multimedia systems that can be fitted to any vehicle and feature Apple CarPlay to offer smartphone control from behind the wheel.
The new Pioneer devices do away with Bluetooth connections and link the iPhone with a touchscreen display via cable, which serves to charge the device at the same time. They offer up common iOS apps on-screen, such as Messages, Maps and iTunes Radio, along with access to third-party streaming software such as Spotify.
Road safety is obviously an important factor as any here, with Siri featuring prominently in the systems' functionality. Holding down the button at the bottom right of screen will engage Apple's voice command tool. It's capabilities include anything from navigation, finding the nearest coffee shop, reading and responding to text messages to performing routine Google searches.
Additionally, the multimedia systems can connect with any device with playback support for DVD, CD, USB and aux-in. They do feature a Bluetooth module if the need arises, along with their own GPS navigation, built-in traffic messages and a DAB tuner for digital radio.
The video below from our friends at CarAdvice offers a hands on look at at how Pioneer's CarPlay-enabled system works.
Product page: Pioneer