Apple's IronHeart Technology Could Soon Let Your iPhone Control Your Vehicle

Sophie Webster, Tech Times 07 October 2021, 12:10 pm

Apple is working on a technology that could let your iPhone control more in your car. It won't just be answering calls and change music stations anymore.

Apple's IronHeart Technology

According to Bloomberg, the tech giant is developing a technology codenamed "IronHeart" that would let you use your iPhone to control the radio in your car, control the seats, the climate system, and control the instrument clusters.

Also, the technology will switch the CarPlay and the car's infotainment software for you if you need to turn up the heat.

The IronHeart technology is still in its early stages, and it would require partnerships with numerous automakers. Apple has not released any statement regarding Bloomberg's report.

A process like this could cement Apple's presence in the vehicle industry. In fact, it may even be more effective than its other technologies like the CarPlay, or CarKey, according to Engadget.

Also Read: Apple and Hyundai-Kia Would Design 'Apple Car' with 'Driverless' Technology! TSMC Chip?

Although it is not a part of the tech giant's electric car project, it could give them the experience and edge in the industry, and it may even help with the in-house vehicle development.

Whether or not automakers embrace Apple's concept is another topic. The tech giant would effectively bypass a vehicle's native interface for a lot of common tasks.

It is easy to see automakers rejecting Apple's offer since they've worked on their own vehicle interfaces and companion apps. It is also set to compete with Apple's services.

If IronHeart does end up getting launched, it may be limited to a couple of vehicle makes and models unless there is an enthusiastic response from the buyers.

Apple Looking for Radar Test Engineer

Apple is serious about getting into the vehicle industry, and the tech giant even posted a new job opening last week aimed to bolster its electric vehicle efforts, according to 9to5Mac.

The work on Apple Car has faced some challenges because the company lost Doug Field, the VP of Project Titan. However, the work continues, and the company is looking for a Radar Test Engineer.

After Ford had poached Apple's VP Dough Field, the company's VP of Technology, Kevin Lynch, stepped in to lead Project Titan in September.

Even with some setbacks, the company remains committed to its electric vehicle work, with the latest news being a Radar Test Engineer job opening.

The company is looking for an engineer who will define, document, and execute the test procedures and fixtures of the vehicle for design verification, experimentation, manufacturing, and functional validation.

The engineer is also expected to experiment on the design and the performance of the vehicle. They also need to process, review, and analyze the test data and compare the models and the requirements.

The engineer will also have to develop and maintain test drivers, and they need to test software to collect data from the vehicle's sensors and equipment.

They need to conduct a post-test analysis of the data so they can draw conclusions and plan the next steps.

Also, the engineer needs to effectively communicate the analyses, conclusions, and recommendations at the test reviews.

They also need to plan and evaluate the vehicle and specify and manage the development of test equipment. They also need to test facilities to characterize the sensor's performance.

Apple also wants an engineer that has experience in robotics control and automation. Earlier last month, Apple's Project Titan had hired two former Mercedes engineers to join the project.