Using Siri in my Bluetooth enabled car

There is no answer. As you say, it cannot be done.

If you would like to provide feedback to Apple, here's how:

Apple Feedback

You have simply posted your thoughts on a forum of Apple users.

Why? No one can answer any question of "why" Apple made any design decison they did other than Apple. We are not Apple.

That said, I fail to see the logic behind why you would want to do this. It makes no sense to me. Besides which, in many places it is illegal to use a cell phone while driving if you are not using a hands free device. I don't think the police will care much whether you're talking to your mother or to Siri.

KiltedTim, the desire to communicate directly with Siri, rather than through the car's Bluetooth system, is because car Bluetooth systems pre-dating Siri actively control the phone for making calls only, not for talking to the phone itself. Since the pre-Siri car doesn't "know" about Siri, Playadude wishes to communicate with Siri directly through the phone. But he can't, because the iPhone's microphone is disabled because the car's Bluetooth is enabled.

One could disable Bluetooth, then talk with Siri normally, but then you lose Bluetooth for hands free calling while driving. It's not easy to connect/disconnect Bluetooth, especially unsafe to try to do while driving.

It seems a simple programming matter Apple could easily address. A code (say, a 4-digit "phone number") could be put in to the iOS as recognizing a user of a pre-Siri Bluetooth enabled car wishes to speak with Siri. The user simply makes a "phone call" using the code. The phone should then "connect" as if making a call but the user would be speaking to Siri directly. Pressing the hands free button on the car permits the driver to speak the 4-digit code, then say "Call". The iPhone could interpret this as a desire to speak to Siri, "connect" the speakerphone function as if completing/connecting a call, and issue the familiar beeps through the car's speaker system. The driver could then make requests of Siri directly. For cars enabled with voice-activated phone books, the user could then save the four-digit code as a contact, name it "Siri", and voila, one could "call" Siri using the car's existing Bluetooth system.

But before any of that can happen, the car must first have a way to "hold down the iPhone's home key" and activate Bluetooth as if it were making a call. By definition, pre-Siri Bluetooth car phones are designed to place hands free calls. The trick would be getting Siri to recognize a certain phone number as a request to "call" Siri herself, and for the iPhone to respond as if it were completing a call, only to Siri. I have this very problem with my 2008 Acura TL. Any ideas for a workaround?

The bluetooth system in my car predates Siri. It can not activate her, but if you hold down the home button for a few systems, once Siri comes on, it works through the bluetooth system just fine.

You can! Activate Siri and then tap the little speaker button to the right of the Siri microphone icon. From there, select the device to use for Siri. Unfortunately, it won't save the setting between car trips.

eezing:

I can get Siri through my Bluetooth car speakers if I turn Siri's button on the phone, but I must talk through the phone to to do commands -- or at least I thought I did.

Where is the "little speaker button to the right if the Siri microphone icon"? All I see is the "i" information button that brings up what Siri can do. But it does not allow me to select a bluetooth device for "her" use.

I have an IPhone 4S and drive a 2009 Toyota Prius with hands-free telephone capability.

Thanks!

Yes, that is correct, depending on the phone and operating system there is a way to use Siri or voice activated commands when connected via bluetooth on a car (Toyota in my case), on iPhone 5 with Siri, activate from home button, press the bluetooth icon located on the right side of the mic, switch over to "iPhone", press the mic and order to call, once the call goes thru, on the phone switch over to audio option to "Multi media" and the call will go on as active, no more drop call using Siri!... with iPhone 4, when activating the voice command the screen on the vehicle will switch to bluetooth mode, press switch audio, on the phone press again to give de voice command to make a call, once it goes thru, select to switch audio again and the call will remain connected.

Hope this can help some folks out there, it is a little to much steps, yes, but its possible.

Please reread my response to your original post of ten months ago. It still applies:

"There is no answer. ...

If you would like to provide feedback to Apple, here's how:

Apple Feedback

You have simply posted your thoughts on a forum of Apple users."

Same issue here (in a 2015 vehicle). Apple should give users the oiption of setting default mic input for Siri and for voice dictation. I posted this is Apple feedback and hopefully Apple will hear the collective noise and provide a response in ios8.

I can add my frustration on this matter as well. I have been successful at using the Tune2Air Bluetooth adapter to stream music to the ipod dock of my vehicle. It works like a charm. Meanwhile, the phone (iPhone 6 w/iOS 8.1) is simultaneously connected to the Bluetooth hands-free of the car as well. In fact it all works beautifully; music streams, podcasts play, phone calls automatically route to the hands-free connection, even Skype routes to the hands-free connection. Its really great.

Except for Siri.

Siri defaults to the Bluetooth music streaming connection, which does not support a Microphone, of course). I always have to press the "i" icon to change to the Bluetooth hands-free connection (or the phone mic if I choose) when I first want to use Siri, This setting is not permanent and will reset whenever I leave the car. It is pretty incredible that only Siri does not seem to realize that it shouldn't try to use a device with no microphone (compared to skype, etc...)

I have two simple suggestions for the Apple Team:

1) Teach Siri not to use a bluetooth device with no microphone

2) Allow Siri to maintain a "Preferred Connection" sorted list

I'm sure there's a way. I have a Nokia Lumia 521 and I can talk to Cortana thru my car's speakers and send text and everything.