Unless you live under a rock, you have heard of Apple’s Siri technology – a sort of personal assistant for your 4S smartphone. You can talk to Siri and give it voice commands, and that is to make using the device easier and more fun. Now this Siri thing is making its way to the automobile world with something Apple refer to as the ‘Eyes Free’ system. It is set to replace the conventional hands-free systems.

That is what Apple vice president of iOS software Scott Forstall told the audience at Apple’s 2012 Worldwide Developer’s Conference in San Francisco when he was demonstrating features of the new iOS version 6. The Eyes Free system comes with only one button on the steering wheel, which activates the Siri in your Apple device, which is already connected via Bluetooth or cable to your car.

You can then ask your Car Siri question about real-time traffic information, email and text, personal calendars, music, weather, and so on. Currently if you want any of that you need to look into your infotainment system and push a couple of buttons.

Apple is working with car makers such as GM, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota, Chrysler and Honda – pretty much all of them – to make this Eyes Free thing a global standard. Ford, however, is apparently sticking with Microsoft hoping they come up with something similar for their SYNC system.