The paper then goes on to highlight the fact that VW has plans for a new under-$10k subcompact, almost begging us to believe that it’s going to be a full-on mixture of VW and Apple DNA.  Far more likely, however, is that the same sort of iPhone and iPod integration that stablemate Audi has introduced will be filtered down into Volkswagen’s more mainstream range.

[via ars technica]

First off, the Bluetooth option: Audi want their Teutonic customers to know that not only can they control such mundane functionality as accept/reject-call/hands-free but also indicate signal strength and provider name on the car’s display, as well as phonebook transfer including numbers differentiated by category (e.g. work/home/mobile) and call lists.

If music is your cup of proverbial, then you’ll be wanting the Audi Music Interface.  It’s basically a cable and software update that, in certain models (A5, A6, A8 and Q7), routes the iPhone’s music through the car stereo.  Navigation via the normal Audi controls means you don’t have to fuss with the iPhone’s touchscreen, and you can browse by artist, track title, playlist or genre.

Frankly, it’s good but it’s not the best.  Apple could’ve made the whole thing a lot simpler with the addition of – you guessed it – A2DP Bluetooth, meaning wireless music streaming and a far more elegant solution.  It’d also make the Audi’s stereo compatible with any A2DP device, and future-proof it a little should Apple change the dock socket or bring out something else fun but incompatible.  After all, you likely change your cellphone and PMP far more often than you do your car!

[via Autoblog]