Test: Apple occupies the screen in the cars

Many Apple fans rejoice securely over the universe with the well-known icons now also keeps their entry in the cars. The name is Apple Carplay and available in a variety of brands, where it can play along with the car's built-in screen, if the right software is present.

We have now tested the system, among others, Suzuki Vitara, VW Touran and Audi A4.

As a starting point, you need to connect your phone to the car with the charger cable. Here is not something with the wireless transmission. It is the red tape, but in exchange you get charged the phone up.

If you think that your entire mobile phone transferred to the car's big screen, so forget it. As a starting point, the system has six to eight apps, i.e. phone, music player, navigation system Apple Maps, message-the program Podcasts and iBooks as well as typically an app from the brand itself. But there is nothing with e-mails. It requires too much attention.

And forget all about your exotic and personal apps from the collection. You can only use the apps that are developed for Carplay, and which is approved by both Apple and the car manufacturers and have been assessed to be trafiksikre.

Why unlock your own phone also, when connected to Carplay, so you are not tempted to tinker with it along the way.

the Matter is that each app must be adapted to the Carplay together with the car manufacturers, and there is emphasis on that you should be able to clear the operation so trafiksikkert as possible, with voice control through stemmestyringssystemet Siri, which can recognize speech and read the text messages up.

The joy is great, as the well-known icons popping up on the screen, and we can flick on to the next screen with more icons.

Just as on the phone you can see when there are new sms or voicemail messages. The idea is that you should be able to operate the system with voice control. Photo: Jonas Ahlstrøm

But in a model such as the Audi A4, it happens with the built-in caster wheels in the brand's MMI system, as it does not have a touch screen, unlike for example the VW Touran. Steering with the wheel applies, incidentally, also in the other premiummærker as BMW and Mercedes.

It is quite special, since the logic of Apple's products are precisely built around the touch screen.

There is laid up for, you should be able to operate both the navigation, telephone and texting with Siri. Here is Siri is reasonably accurate on the text portion, where we can send messages by talking to it and get the answer read out by Siri, who even received describes for example the smileys. Siri picks up the most and can read clearly up, although it sounds freaky, when the facial expression on the smileys intricately described as the 'smiling smiley with tweaked eyes'.

On the telefondelen is Siri also quick to find numbers and call up with their force.

In the navigation pinches it more. Even if we are talking to Siri with the same clear emphasis which Colonel Hackel Mrs Fernando Møhge in the tv-series Matador, picks up the electronic assistant is often the road names wrong. And so, we need to delete. So is it easier and more trafiksikkert to write the address correctly from the beginning with the keyboard or the scroll wheel.

Siri is better to recognize the speech than many of the other integrated systems with speech recognition and reading, which is found in many of the cars we have tested.

With Apple Car Play you will get Apple Maps as a guide. The advantage is that it can be free to use, the downside is that it's not as integrated as Google Maps. Photo: Jonas Ahlstrøm

the Apple Maps got from the start, hug not to be as accurate and detailed as Google Maps. And although Apple Maps have been better, we miss Google Maps functionality. It applies, for example, the feature, which follows your habits, and when you are on your way home from work late in the day, gives an update on the traffic on your route and driving home.

most brands have so far launched the system in certain models. And more come to. Most will also offer Android Auto, which plays along with the bl.a Samsung-phones.

But many are reluctant to marketing. The systems works as still, as if they are under development and not fully fledged. This applies, in particular, it is almost useless Mirror Link, where you should be able to mirror your smartphone on the screen, but that doesn't really work in some brands – among other things because it is so far only have worked with a few phones and has complicated functions.

On models with a touch screen you can flick the icons and open them as on the phone, while premiummærker as the Audi in the picture as BMW and Mercedes control them with the scroll wheel and keys. Photo: Jonas Ahlstrøm

As things stand today, however, it is not very Apple Carplay offering, as you can not get in the integrated multimediessystemer that already exists for the cars. In return, you will in a part model, where only one screen, be able to get integrated navigation free with Apple Maps. For example, it is the case in most models of the new Opel Astra and certain VW Golf models.

If the navigation shall be absolutely free, however the free streaming, which many have domestically. However, it may be expensive abroad.