Roger Fingas
Fiat Chrysler on Friday issued a free software update to owners of some 2013-, 2014-, and 2015-model vehicles, giving them access to Apple's Siri Eyes Free, which enables voice commands to an iPhone by tapping a button on the steering wheel.
Drivers with a Uconnect 8.4 touchscreen display can go to the Uconnect website and enter their 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number, which in turn will let them download the update to a USB drive for installation. The installation process can take up to 30-45 minutes, and will only work while a vehicle is parked.
Compatible vehicles include:
- 2013-2015 Ram 1500, 2500 & 3500
- 2013-2015 Dodge Viper
- 2014-2015 Dodge Durango
- 2015 Dodge Challenger and Charger
- 2014-2015 Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee
- 2015 Jeep Renegade
- 2015 Chrysler 200 & 300
Siri Eyes Free is increasingly being supplanted by CarPlay, which incorporates Siri in a more elaborate platform alongside dash-based app controls. That shift only began happening en masse in late 2015, though, and most older vehicles can't be upgraded without an aftermarket dash interface.
Eyes Free can handle tasks like making phone calls, getting directions, and playing music, the main drawbacks being less complex options and no real third-party app support.
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Kudos to FCA for offering a Siri Eyes Free upgrade to existing owners.
Now Honda needs to offer an upgrade for 2015-2016 CR-V owners (and other models with their Display Audio system) to add CarPlay. Some owners were selected for a beta test, but it closed and died.
It's kind of funny how these car companies are putting Apple into their cars when it a few years time when Apple announces their vehicle they'll be the poor msn's Apple product. Just thinking of that Motortrend Apple Car makes me chuckle. What an embarrassing ugly concept that car was. You cannot release a concept car design to the public if you have no taste and no idea what it takes to make a good product. If I was seated at that table I wouldn't be able to stop myself bringing up just how ugly the car design was. Wouldn't care who's toes I stepped on in the process. If Apple released a car as unimaginative as that it'd surely be the beginning of the end for the company.
Funnily enough, one area where Tesla is lacking creativity and taste is design. From the "generically-futuristic" design of the Model 3 (Siracusa quoted my thoughts exactly on its design), to the Aston Martin ripoff design of the Model S, to the embarrassing Tron-like TESLA logo to the horrendous "T" insignia. You think I'm being overly harsh don't you? Design takes no prisoners. If Apple make bad design choices I'm just as critical.
This is an area where Apple can be beat them in my opinion. Just look at the level of detail in the Apple Watch bands. There's no way I see Apple making a car where reviews and owners such as Marco Arment can say "the interior of my M3 is nicer". We know how anal retentive Apple are about these details. I'd imagine switches and leather stitch detailing would be tirelessly worked on until they were perfect. Apple knows more than anyone if their car interior was not on par or better than an equivalent BMW it would be terrible news for their brand. What Apple needs to worry about more is on the technology side. They need a superb electric drivetrain, and a great base chassis etc., for which to build their design prowess upon. Self-driving will be a huge area of focus, but it's still a few years away yet. Don't mind what Elon claims—it's likely to be a legislation nightmare.
Battery technology and cost, drivetrain, chassis, software, exterior and interior design, quality and consideration. These will be where the car race is for the next 10 years and beyond. Nevermind that Chinese blow-hard concept car toting idiot who claims his car will be internet first and hardware last. A car is very much a hardware product. And a Chinese Internet-first car is basically driven by his government
I saw this quote from the Fiat-Chrysler CEO today. referring to possible partnerships with big tech. I think he gets it as I'm sure the entire industry does:
“Google can buy every automaker out of petty cash. And Apple — they made a net profit of $24 billion in one quarter. This is nonsense. What are we defending? What?”
There is a bug which hangs Siri up and will not complete on phone calls and texts, works ok with music. If others are having the same issue please contact FCA UConnect.
http://www.driveuconnect.com/contact-us/ You will need the last 8 numbers of you VIN#
I have a 2015 Grand Cherokee Limited with 8.4N and nav.
Every time I go the site and put in my id number it comes back that my software is up to date. No updates available.
Anyone else have same issue?