Holden and Opel's talking cars

Voice-recognition is nothing new in modern motoring, but what happens when cars talk back? The new Opel ADAM compact car and Holden's new Commodore both feature systems that tie in with Apple iPhone's Siri digital assistant, allowing drivers to issue commands to the car - complete with verbal responses.

What's next, cars that can park themselves?!

The Opel ADAM has not been ruled out for Australian consumption though it's unlikely to arrive here in the near future due to the lack of an automatic transmission and loads of competition from the Volkswagen up! and others.

The teeny tiny Fiat 500 rival is powered by compact 1.2 and 1.4-litre petrol engines and is said to be offered in millions of colour/trim combinations. But that's all academic really -- this car can talk!

Once an iPhone 4S or 5 has been paired to the car via Bluetooth, drivers just hit a button on the steering wheel to use the 'Siri Eyes Free' system. Some of the capabilities include being able to insult friends via phone call or dictated text message, change music or just asking Siri a question, such as "Why is Kanye West so awesome" or "Why is this idiot in front of me hogging the fast lane?".

See the UK-based Vauxhall video below for the system in use.

It's not as cool as KIT from Knight Rider though, as data access (e.g. 3G) is required for the system to work and to be able to hold a conversation with your car. So if you're underwater or lost in the Outback, you won't be able to have a chin-wag with the car.

Motorists looking for something already available in Australia can check out several Holden cars, such as the Commodore and Barina, whose MyLink software does much the same thing.

Road Test editor Matt Brogan has had some experience with the new 'Siri Eyes Free' system on the new VF Holden Commodore on a drive from Canberra to Melbourne and says it works well, even with lots of background noise.

As more car companies develop deeper smart phone integration with their vehicles, we'll increasingly see a closer link between the cars and the Internet. But is this a good thing...

Should our thoughts be focused 100% on the road, and not what's happening in the cricket? Is technology increasingly distracting in cars or is 'Eyes Free' a good compromise...? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below (so long as you're not driving at the time).

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