Photos: Cars in tune with hands-free digital audio

Toyota and Fiat are among many automakers bowing to consumer demand for an easy way to listen to digital music in the car.

By Bill Detwiler, Contributor July 20, 2006 at 7:45 a.m. PT

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Scion and iPod

Toyota is among many carmakers bowing to consumer demand for digital music in the car. Its 2006 Scion includes an audio system that connects to Apple Computer's iPod digital music player, shown here.

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Scion TC

Toyota's Scion TC integrates track, artist and album information from the iPod onto a one-line display in the car.

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Grande Punto

Fiat's Grande Punto comes for sale in 2006 with voice-command technology inside from Microsoft's new Windows Mobile for Automotive. Drivers will be able to use voice search to find song titles on an MP3 player connected to the car or perform hands-free dialing on a phone with the technology.

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Alfa Romeo

Fiat's Alfa Romeo will also carry the features. The cars will be introduced at the end of February at the Geneva Auto Show. Microsoft's Windows Mobile for Automotive technology is a consumer electronics gateway to integrate mobile devices into the car.

Fiat cars will use Bluetooth for hands-free phone integration and USB (universal serial bus) for integration of digital music players, including the iPod.

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