iOS 13.5 Siri will not open apps while driving

The first thing to do is be glad. Maybe stop trying to fix it. Some things are better left for a non-driving moment. I get it. I have a car with Apple CarPlay. When the app is for driving, that does not make sense. But I figure the tech is sending me a message. “Do one thing at a time. Save your multitasking for when you’re not driving.” My solution for now — until Siri wises up — is disconnecting from Bluetooth.

I opened a case on 6/3. Actually talked to a (at least) 2nd level tech. Had me try a bunch of stuff, she connected to my phone remotely, had me go to my car and record it happening (no audio though since it goes through car bluetooth) and upload files. It's currently still open.

Since the 13.5 update, ‘hey Siri take me to XXX’s house’, now responds, ‘you’ll have to unlock your iPhone, and I don’t recommend doing that while driving.’

Siri has be come a useless hand-free assistant in the car. Please reverse this change.

HEY! Driving home tonight I said, "Hey Siri, play music" and it opened my music and played!! Also I asked the capital of Arkansas and it looked it up and told me.

Still shows the car car icon when I ask Siri to text someone though. I'd like it to show me who it's texting so I know it's right.

The other day Siri was working fine in my car.....but I wasn’t moving. I believe that as soon as I started moving Siri wouldn’t allow me to open any new app anymore. Just calling people nothing else.

So I have the suspicion that it could have something to do with the combination of Being in the move while having Bluetooth and gps connected. Obviously turning off gps would defeat the purpose of using Siri in the car, in most cases. But for the sake of argument; can anybody here confirm my suspicion??

Exact same issue here. Everything worked great, now I get only a vehicle icon and sori will inform me that she cannot show me anything or search the web while I’m in car. Worked great before update. This is an apple issue. A stupid update feature that in fact makes phone distraction more of an issue than reducing it. They really need to walk this back.

I was surprised to find that Siri will not obey commands while you are parked with your car off... but Siri apologized, hmmm I am sorry I can not do that while you are driving.... Driving? I can't sit at a Sonic and check email hand's free anymore. I can't open Spotify to listen to my playlist. I can't ask Siri what is carnitas???? So someone suggested we take this to social media. I am going to tag Apple and use these three hashtags. #givesiriback #givehandsfreeback #applepleasehearus

If it was Apple’s intention, it is stupid to have us do all that. Spotify now works for me without this shortcut. At some point last week Spotify started working like before this nasty bug but not for Waze yet. So there must have been un update in Spotify that has fixed this as there has not been a new iOS version.

Siri says sorry can't do that, for almost everything on my iphone when I am parked and when the car is off. I have spent hours on tech calls, in emails and software links provided by apple to no avail. This unfortunate idiotic event takes away hands free in many cases and APPLE knows this is an issue. I have sent in Apple feedback (you all are welcome to do so) tweeted and tagged Apple and I have emailed several techs who have answered me. Their techs have been great but the people who could help solve this have not been forth coming when the techs ask for help. Or at least that is my experience. Apple turned my business phone into a brick. I will have to get a new phone that isn't Apple and that makes me sad. I have 10 apple devices and loved the continuity.... but I depend on my phone as if it was a computer and I can't use it in business if I can't park and eat lunch and use my phone hands free in my OWN CAR.... OVERREACH.

@Diminuendo, my Sony DSX-A410BT does support "Siri Eyes Free", so that may be related. However, and it's a big issue in my humble opinion, it's iOS that decides how Siri works, and it's 13.5 that made it so strict about 3rd party apps as to be unusable. Furthermore, it doesn't even enable the overall DND mode, as I can still see notifications if the screen is on, and I have notifications set not to show if the phone is in DND mode.

Just my two cents!

Not working for me either! Ever since the update to 13.5 I have not been able to "hey siri, open waze" and other features while driving, thanks Apple for removing functionality and making it less safe to drive. Why would you take away this feature with an update, epic fail. The only work around is to disable Bluetooth on the phone and not let it connect to car stereo, then it is a non issue but not connected to your car either. Also, FYI, this was not fixed in the recent IOS 13.6 update. Apple, please fix this ASAP!

2017 Toyota 4runner

I see someone marked this issue as solved. Is that a joke?

Spotify was failing to interact with Siri just as it happens with Waze while driving. Now Spotify is working. So although it is clear that iOS13.5 brought in some new features so that it knows when we are driving or not, my guess is that the apps must be updated to allow it or not. Spotify fixed it but not for Waze. That's my guess.

Also, Apple could have used the accelerometer to guess if we are driving or not but took the wrong decision by only checking if it's connected to a car radio set via bluetooth. So it makes it unusable if parked. But that's another story

Can this discussion be reverted back to "unsolved"? It clearly isn't. Or maybe a new thread is necessary?

The issue persists as it has since iOS 13.5. "Do Not Disturb While Driving" is stuck on when you are connected to your vehicle, even when it is set to off. I'm fine if people want to enable this setting themselves, but it should not be forced upon everyone. It actually results in added distraction because simple commands now require intervention (and frustration!) from the user, whereas previously they could be executed without needing to touch or look at your phone. This is dangerous - full stop.

Aside from the obvious dangers this creates while driving, it is also frustrating that your device is crippled when NOT driving. Using voice commands while parked, or as a passenger if your phone is connected is also impossible now.

Shortcuts are not the answer either. Sure, I can set up a shortcut to open some apps, but Siri is (was!) so much more useful while driving. "Hey Siri - open Waze." Easy, with a shortcut. But "Hey Siri - navigate to (this exact place) using Waze" gets you Siri's voice reaffirming how useless she has become. So - I have to look at and touch my phone to do this simple task. Completely unnecessary and unacceptable. It is even worse for sending messages or asking countless simple tasks.

This issue is NOT solved. Shortcuts can get you a tiny bit of functionality back, but barely. "Do no disturb while driving" is stuck ON and it shouldn't be. Please fix this ASAP, Apple.

I skimmed through the SiriKit APIs and couldn't find anything that may be about this. There's a IntentsRestrictedWhileLocked extension that should include Siri intents to be allowed without the phone being unlocked first, but the problem arises even when the phone *is* unlocked. It's the bluetooth connection that basically takes over.

In any event I reported this again to the Waze team, but they had already told me that it seemed like an Apple issue.

I see the exact same image. Every time my phone is attached via Bluetooth to the car. You can’t turn it off, you can’t get around it without manually opening your phone and using your hands to open what you are trying to launch. Even as a passenger you are stuck. An out of control nanny phone trying to save you from yourself by taking away a hands free function and making it manual. 🙄