New Apple 'iOS in the Car' aims for safer driving

• Apple%27s new operating system for mobile devices includes app for cars
• It is designed to make sure drivers are not distracted
• Look for it in 2014 in up to a dozen car brands

Apple's new operating system for its popular mobile devices goes well beyond iPhone and iPad. It will be showing up in new cars.

It's called iOS 7 and will be available to download this fall. The new operating system features a number of design changes to the devices' interface. It also adds a new application that will let an iPhone5 display a few essential functions through a car's multimedia system.

It's called "iOS in the Car."

It "seamlessly integrates your iOS device — and the iOS experience — with your in-dash system. If your vehicle is equipped with iOS in the Car, you can connect your iPhone 5 and interact with it using the car's built-in display and controls or Siri Eyes Free," Apple says in its description on its website. "Now you can easily and safely make phone calls, access your music, send and receive messages, get directions and more."

The goal is to make sure drivers aren't distracted.

Apple is looking to streamline smartphone use in the car and working with at least a dozen automakers, including Acura, Honda, Infiniti, Nissan, Chevrolet, Mercedes-Benz, Kia, Hyundai, Volvo, Ferrari and Jaguar.

When synced with a compatible vehicle, iOS 7 displays a car-specific group of screens for users. The familiar index pages of app tiles aren't shown. Instead a new screen highlighting four main functions — maps, phone, music and messaging — is the homepage.

It's unknown which vehicles will be ready for this system by fall, but Apple used the screen from Chevy's tiny Spark in its keynote presentation. We tested the Spark's ability to port a third-party iPhone navigation app when the car debuted, but it did not look or feel as polished as the native iPhone Map app or Google's Map app.

Honda's Acura plans to be ready as well. "We look forward to bringing iOS in-car integration to our lineup next year," Acura spokesman Chuck Schifsky told Cars.com. He also said both Honda and Acura vehicles supporting iOS 7 technology won't be available until 2014.