Apple's Siri Buttons On Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar Steering Wheels? Automakers Think Different
Siri is coming to Mercedes, GM, BMW, Jaguar, and others, but the connectivity the auto brands describe is a far cry from an iCar. — We know Steve Jobs dreamt of designing an iCar …
Context & Ripple Effects
Apple has confirmed that Siri is being integrated into vehicles from Mercedes, GM, BMW, Jaguar and other automakers, announced alongside pickup from Business Insider and iPhone in Canada Blog. The framing across coverage matters: this is voice-button connectivity, not an Apple-built vehicle — commentary at the time was explicit that what the automakers describe is 'a far cry' from the iCar Steve Jobs reportedly dreamt of designing, a project that remains rumor rather than product.
First-order effects
- Owners of upcoming Mercedes, GM, BMW and Jaguar models get hands-free Siri access from the steering wheel, making Apple's voice assistant a factory feature in premium and mass-market cabins alike.
Second-order effects
- Automakers accepting Siri buttons are effectively outsourcing their consoles' voice layer to Apple, putting pressure on rival infotainment suppliers and on non-partner brands to match the integration or defend their own systems.
Third-order effects
- If the button-plus-assistant model holds, the phone becomes the software brain of the dashboard while carmakers supply the hardware — a division of labor that keeps Apple out of manufacturing a vehicle while still owning the driver-facing interface.
The trend: Smartphone assistants are moving into the dashboard through licensing deals with automakers, letting Apple distribute Siri into cars without committing to the rumored iCar.