At the Geneva motor show this month, smart, the subsidiary of the Daimler group, introduced its own “drive app” for the iPhone coupled with a dash cradle fitting with their the well known "fortwo" model.

The smart drive app for the iPhone gathers three essential functions: hands-free system for phone calls, music (from the iPhone library and via internet radios) and maps with an optional navigation application. There are also smart extras – for example the Car Finder that will guide you back to wherever you parked your car.

The basic version of the navigation part of the software shows the vehicle's position on a map of the area ("Follow-me maps") and enables points of interest to be found by using the on-board database or off-board via Microsoft Bing.

The navigation upgrade is a fully-fledged turn-by-turn navigation software with on-board maps for Europe or the USA, text-to-speech, real-time traffic information and roadside assistance.

Speed sign recognition
In addition to that, researchers at Daimler AG are currently working on enabling the application to use driver assistance systems developed for Mercedes. 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, for example, and to inform the driver about the speed limit that applies.

This system will be available from the second quarter of 2010, the cradle will cost €240 (German list price with VAT plus fitting costs) and the application is to be available from iTunes at a one-off price of €9.99 for the basic version. The navigation upgrade will be €49.99 per year. Daimler researchers are currently putting the final touches to the smart drive kit camera functions that will be available later on.