Pioneer Announces Safe & Sound In Car AppRadio

It’s claimed to be a game-changer for in-car entertainment, and will harness the power of your iPhone with a capacitive touch screen, hands-free calling and full mobile connectivity via apps while you drive.

Pioneer Electronics’ new AppRadio is scheduled for Australian release in July and connects with fourth generation iPhones and iPod touches, and provides a safer way to use apps in the car, according to Tony Trent, group product manager at Pioneer.

What you get is a high resolution, capacitive 6.1 inch touch screen display, with Bluetooth for hands-free calling and an input for an optional vehicle mounted rear facing back up camera.

Up front, you get just three buttons; a home button, volume up and volume down, along with the touch screen display, which requires just a quick tap or swype to access the app interface, and command iPod control or playback, AM/FM radio and Bluetooth calling.

“Pioneer is rethinking connectivity by tapping into the power of the Smartphone, while simultaneously providing a solution that safely merges the consumer’s connected lifestyle into the vehicle,” said Trent.

When connected to an iPhone and iPod touch, the full potential of the AppRadio is unleashed, bringing an ever-expanding world of convenience and connectivity directly into the dash.

Users can also access Google Maps and stay current with recommended compatible third-party apps.

Google Maps appears on the AppRadio screen with the same familiar mapping information and features allowoing users to search routes, view route directions and create bookmarks with the ability to drop pins directly on the map.

Pioneer says it has partnered with several app providers to integrate AppRadio compatibility into a few of today’s most popular apps, formatted specifically for safe use in vehicles.

Compatible AppRadio applications for the Australian market will be announced in the coming weeks.

AppRadio also gives access to additional apps featuring second screen video output which can only be accessed with the vehicle parked and the parking brake fully engaged, according to Pioneer.

The company says this library of compatible applications will be notified to users automatically, and the AppRadio software itself can be updated.

The AppRadio includes a 30-pin connector, external GPS antenna, external microphone for hands-free calling and input/output connections to support the addition of an optional rear view camera, wired remote steering wheel control adapter and an external amplifier via one set of preamp outputs.

It is due to be released in late July with an expected RRP of sub $900.

The AppRadio application is available free in the App Store.