New smart Drive Kit for the iPhone Launched

smart became the first car brand to develop its own drive app for the iPhone, while also offering a smart cradle, which together form a multimedia trip computer, optimized for the smart fortwo model. The user can make phone calls via hands-free system, his own extensive music collection, internet radio and a navigation system with a special smart touch, all while driving.

There also several smart extras, such as the Car Finder, which will guide you back to wherever you parked your car. On the other hand, the smart cradle charges the iPhone and also functions as a hands-free system using the loudspeakers of the smart radio for sound output and automatically muting it when phone calls are made.

The researchers at Daimler AG are currently working on developing driver assistance systems for users of the smart drive kit for the iPhone, features that so far are only available in Mercedes-Benz E- and S-Klasse cars.

A camera fitted on the windscreen will transmit pictures of the area in front of the car to the smart drive kit for the iPhone via WLAN. This will enable the future application to identify traffic signs with speed limits, among others, and to warn the driver if he or she is driving too fast.

smart driving with the smart drive kit for the iPhone will become available as from the second quarter of 2010. The smart cradle for the iPhone will be available at a price of €240 (German list price with VAT plus fitting costs). The smart drive app for the iPhone can be downloaded from the App Store at a one-off price of €9.99 for the basic version. The navigation upgrade with up-to-date maps costs €49.99 per year.