Cars may soon tune in iPods

NEW YORK: Apple Computer said it had reached agreements with Ford Motor, General Motors and Mazda Motor to make it easier to connect its popular iPod music player to car stereos.

More than 70% of ’07-model cars in the US will offer a way to link up the iPod with car stereos under the agreements, Apple said. GM will offer iPod connections on all 56 of its models, representing millions of cars and trucks, Apple said.

Mazda’s global ’07 line-up of cars and sports utility vehicles will offer an iPod feature as well.

The iPod car feature will allow drivers to charge the digital music player and store it in a glove compartment as they listen to its songs.

It will also allow listeners to use car stereo controls to select music on the iPod device.
GM said it would offer the ‘personal audio link’ at dealerships for less than $160 plus installation as early as October for some car models.