At the WWDC yesterday, Apple announced that nine car makers are "on board" [pun intended] for putting their voice enabled controller, Siri, in their cars for "eyes free" control of car functions and applications. The makes are Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Honda, GM, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes and Toyota. Noticiably absent? FoMoCo, which has Microsoft's SYNC system in their current line of cars.

Is this a better idea for Ford, or for Apple?

Cars should be seen and not heard. If my car talks to me, I'm driving an icepick through the speaker while yelling "open the pod bay door, HAL. YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. Sing some Daaaaaisy!"

I don't want to be "connected" while driving, other than to the road via the steering wheel. Tesla Roadster, Lotus Elise, and Caterham are more my style than any luxocrap made in the last 10 years.

Thrown out your car radio, have you?

I'm OK with a radio station talking to the world at large. I find a machine talking to me personally a wee bit creepy.

or when it provided the punch line to an old joke. (A Door is a jar)

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags