iPhone and the car

The recent crackdown on “phoning and driving” has been driven (pardon the pun) by the disregard for the laws which were already in place, with numerous drivers continuing to text, call or even post selfies. As phones have become a more an integral part of our everyday life it seems some of us have no regard for how dangerous using a mobile device in the car can actually be. According to the RAC, the number of drivers who own up to using a handheld mobile phone has increased from 8% in 2014 to 31% in late 2016. Additionally, there has been a rise in drivers sending a text, email or posting on social media, with the figure increasing from 7% two years ago to 19% late last year.

The punishment in the UK for driving and using a mobile device has now increased to a £200 fine and six endorsement points on your drivers licence. The consequences of breaking the law in this way may result in the loss of your drivers licence, as a result maybe your job, career, or even in a loss of life. Possibly the most concerning number in this set of statistics is that this behaviour is most prevalent amongst younger drivers in the 17-24 age group. Drivers we can only assume will be on the roads for a number of years to come.

In the year ending March 2016, nearly 25,000 people were killed or seriously injured in road traffic accidents.
But, what if we can use in-car technology to help us make better, safer use of our technology whilst we are in the car? Life is changing. Commutes continue to get longer, time pressure at work is increasing, we cannot afford to be out of touch, professionally or socially for long periods (whether that pressure is real, self-imposed or imagined is debatable). Car and technology companies are responding by offering safer ways for us to remain in touch and get to where we are going, in a safe(r) manner.

Myself and a few colleagues have recently bought cars that have both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integrated into the display and sound system, and I have to say it actually was a contributing factor in the decision making process behind buying the car. I wouldn’t now buy a new car that didn’t have either of them on-board as both of them are significantly better than anything car manufacturers have the time to design. The main difference between software like Apple CarPlay and one developed by a car manufacturer is the different ways in which you can interact with it without losing attention on the road.

Take CarPlay and Siri for example. Simply by saying ‘Hey, Siri’ you can have the majority of commands you’ll need at the tip of your tongue so to speak. According to Business Insider 62% of iPhone owners use Siri in the car, possibly because of hands-free driving laws, but according to another study done by Creative Strategies, only 3% of iPhone users use Siri in public. Whether or not this is down to embarrassment, people know the technology is there and use it whilst driving and that’s encouraging. Do they actually help though? That said, the primary aim of interfaces like CarPlay and it’s Android equivalent, is to help you avoid having to interact with your smartphone whilst you drive, by bringing the features to the driver in a way that minimises the distraction and minimises the amount of time your eyes are off the road.

The best part about the increasing demand for smartphone integration for drivers is, you no longer have to buy a brand new car to get the CarPlay or a “hands-free” smartphone driving experience. There are now several manufacturers producing hardware solutions that can enable you to operate your iPhone whilst you continue to drive safely. Techradar have compiled a list of great apps for your phone whilst driving. Companies such as JVC and Kenwood have aftermarket CarPlay systems on sale right now. We can even step away from using the car altogether. With the rise of companies like Uber (although their reputation has taken a hit just recently) and others such as Lyft in the US, something as simple as an app can now give you the ability to get a ride to your location within 5 minutes most of the time, and of course, you can still use your phone.

We all use different applications on our iPhones, and some of the most popular have already got built-in compatibility with CarPlay, for example -

• Spotify
• Audible
• audiobooks.com
• Stitcher

CarPlay does come pre-installed with some of Apple’s own applications that will already be on your phone like:

• Podcasts
• Apple Maps
• Messages 
• Apple Music

A full description of Apple’s CarPlay features including a list of compatible applications can be found on the Apple CarPlay website.

The most recent iOS update, 10.3.1, brought some very welcome updates for CarPlay, including the ability to change the layout of the main menu and shortcuts that link directly to your most used applications. You can now even delete Apple’s own applications like Audiobooks and Podcasts to keep your CarPlay menu neat and tidy.

Whether you have a CarPlay compatible system or just want better integration of your car and your iPhone, we have some great accessories to help. For example, it’s probably worth buying another lightning cable, possibly a shorter one or one that coils to minimise cable distraction. Using a windscreen mount will help you position your phone so that you can easily see your upcoming turn whilst using Apple Maps and minimise the amount of time that your eyes are away from the road.

Whilst the authorities increasingly (and rightly) crackdown on dangerous driving, thankfully, technology is coming on leaps and bounds to help prevent you putting yourself, other people, your licence, job or career in jeopardy.

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