More and more cars are including audio systems that interface with the iPod (home audio systems too). Meanwhile, people like me using open platforms are stuck with crappy FM transmitters with terrible sound quality and non-integrated control systems (e.g., I have to turn on the transmitter, turn on the music player, turn on the radio, and remember to turn off the transmitter and pause the music player when I turn off my car or run down the battery and lose my place if I’m listening to a podcast). The non-Apple digital music player contingent should come up with some sort of USB-based docking standard before it’s too late (if it isn’t already).
Seems like a perfect extension to the ExpressCard standard, which has USB and PCIE. Maybe add firewire, and define a new physical format…
Yea, non-integrated control systems are real headache! I thought only I do the operations you’ve metioned above every day :)
Two things;
1) Neuros owns the patent on the integrated FM transmitter so its the domain of the open source mp3 player alone.
2) Mercedes has a PCMCIA slot instead of a dedicated iPod jack
I guess the integrated FM only solves some of the problem. You still have to remember to pause the unit, it still doesnt work with your car’s headunit.
There already exist standards for this control though. It’s called universal plug and play. God bless TCP/IP?