fresnoboy

I just discovered this feature on my 2016 A7 - wow, it's REALLY great. Basically, a long press on the voice recognition button puts the mic into passthrough mode to my phone's bluetooth audio input and gets the attention of the OS triggering voice recognition and control by the phone.

The tutorial here (Audi Video Help & Tutorials | Audi USA) mentions SIRI, but it works really well on my Nexus 6 with Google services. Google's VR seems to work great this way, and I never have to touch the phone.

I can ask it a question, ask it to call a contact, play a song through play music (which works even for tracks not in my library if I give it enough information e.g. "play song today is the day by Lincoln Brewster"), navigate to a destination through Google maps, etc...

I never knew it could do that, though the feature is touted in some of the audi connect documentation.

This makes the car so much more useful when driving - It's like having an assistant in the seat next to me.

Why other cars don't have similar features is beyond me.

Just thought I'd give you all a heads up in case you didn't know about this functionality.

Thanks!
Mike

superswiss

I think so far Windows Phone with the latest update has the best implementation while tighter smartphone integration into cars is still a moving target. It works with any Bluetooth hands-free system. When paired, it adds the assistant (Cortana) to the phone book, so you can just press the talk button on the steering wheel and call the assistant by saying "Call Cortana". Similarly if a text message comes in Cortana comes on over the speakers and the DIS displays Cortana as the caller ID. Seems very low tech compared to what the A6/7 has and the future Android Auto and Apple Play in the upcoming Q7, but it is effective and works in any car.

craignhp

I was excited about this, but I can't seem to get it to work in my 2012 A7. I have the latest version of MMI (814), but when I hold down the voice recognition button for a couple seconds, I get no beep. Siri doesn't want to talk to me. ;-( Any tips, or is this just a new feature on the newer models.

chucky0731

This is a new feature for the 2016's.

Don't think you can update to make it functional.

snagitseven

Correct. This is the first step along the path to implementation of Apple Car Play and Google Auto in the MY2016 new MMI. Both systems are reported to be available later to the 2016s only as updates. There has been no official word on any update path for earlier model years but I wouldn't count on it.