Shane Cole
A California fabricator unveiled a customized Toyota 4Runner controlled by a fleet of iPads during a Toyota-sponsored competition at the 2013 SEMA aftermarket parts trade show in Las Vegas.
An iPad in the dashboard controls functions like windows and door locks | Source: USA Today
The SUV, dubbed the "Ultimate Dream Ski 4Runner," was designed in conjunction with X Games-winning freestyle skier Simon Durmont. According to a report from USA Today, nearly every interior feature of the vehicle can be controlled from one of five iPads, from the volume of the audio system to opening and closing the windows.
The iPads also help actuate accessibility features, like a set of retractable running boards and an innovative enclosed ski rack system that sits atop the 4Runner's roof rails. At the tap of an iPad-based virtual button, the rack opens to reveal the skis and lowers them down to a more manageable position.
Jon Tondro of Herbst Smith Fabrication, team leader on the project, called the components "James Bond-like."
Apple's iOS devices have been used by the automotive industry in innovative and unexpected ways since the unveiling of the original iPhone in 2007. Volkswagen and stablemate Audi, for instance, have recently shown prototypes for iPad-based augmented reality repair and maintenance systems.
Cupertino is also making a first-party push into consumers' vehicles, expanding on the already popular iPod and iPhone integration. In 2012, the company unveiled Siri Eyes Free, which would bring a dedicated steering wheel button that would enable drivers to use the Siri personal digital assistant through the car's audio system.
At this year's Worldwide Developer's Conference, Apple went even further with iOS in the Car, bringing iOS features like navigation and iMessages to dashboard-mounted touch screens. Apple CEO Tim Cook has called the company's automative strategy "very, very important" and "a key focus" for Apple.
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25 Comments
Seems nice, and I'm sure there are many benefits to iPad usage in a car, but I don't think it's handy to open the windows on a touch interface. Physical buttons. You can't touch that, iPad.
@philboogie, My Toyota Tacoma has a basic touch screen that handles my iPod/iPhone just fine. It controls lots of other things as well. Why do you think you need a physical button for things like opening a window? Most new cars force doors to be locked after the car is in motion so you don't even need a physical device for that. At night, I keep pressing the child lock button instead of door lock, messing up the action of all windows except the driver's. Having this control on a touch screen could work nicely. My daughter's Prius does everything related to AC, heat, radio, etc. from it's touch screen. The last thing I would want is a Surface in my car with a physical keyboard to control things. It's the 21st century, physical buttons are out!
I agree with philboogie. With physical buttons you don't have to take your eye of the road. I can operate my windows, radio, airconditioning, lights without ever having to look for the control, I don't think I could do that with a touchsreen. Siri on the other hand.....
Controls you can feel for by habit are a) easier, b) safer, c) located in different logical places around the car (like having window controls NEAR the window) and d) can ALL be available all the time: no modes are different screens. Touchscreens are NOT the answer for most things in a moving vehicle. Useful as a nav display--not to replace the physical feel-without-looking controls that have always worked far better. I'm so glad my car has no touchscreen (other than my dash-mounted iPhone as GPS). Touchscreen over-use in cars is a trend that sounds cool, but needs to die out. It's not like space or weight are an issue. As for voice, it can be awesome (Siri? awesome sometimes!) but it's slower and more awkward than one click of a button or turn of a knob. It's not a cure-all. I do want iOS in the car, but for "screen" stuff like GPS and music browsing. I never want it to be controlling physical aspects of the vehicle. (I'm reminded of a physical control few phones have but Apple intelligently includes: a mute switch. Touch-only should be used where it's the best solution, not as a buzzword people then have to live with.)
I sometimes wear gloves in my car. particularly after a cold night. which reminds me, how do ipads handle extended storage at subzero temperatures? How about temps around 120 F? How about routine vacillations in temperature? I just don't think that a car designed around ipads makes sense, not as ipads are currently designed (additionally, why pay for 5 ipad batteries? 5 sets of ipad speakers? 5 ipad microphones? How about all those cameras that point into the dashboard or other car surface?). integrating an iOS interface into a cars touchscreen, that I could see, but this aftermarket integration just seems stupid.