Practical iOS 11 functions for drivers: features and changes

iOS 11 also brings new features with many changes. There are also a few practical, new functions for motorists. In this practical tip, we will introduce you to the most important features.

iOS 11 for drivers: the new "do not disturb mode"

• "Do not disturb while driving" is the name of the revised "Do not disturb mode" with which Apple wants to educate drivers. As soon as you move at a certain speed, the smartphone automatically detects when you are in a vehicle. As a result, certain notifications are suppressed so as not to distract.
• As soon as you connect your iPhone to the hands-free system via Bluetooth or cable, the "do not disturb mode" is also activated. But calls still go through. Otherwise the screen remains black.
• The cell phone can automatically reply to new messages and put the recipient at a later point in time.
• To activate or deactivate the mode manually, you only have to add the corresponding widget once under "Settings"> "Control center" to the latter. From there, you can switch back and forth with a swipe. This is advantageous for passengers or users of public transport, for example.
• The function can also be seen as a reaction to class action lawsuits in which Apple has been partially blamed in various accident situations.

iOS 11: new features for CarPlay users

• There are many small design changes to be found on the CarPlay user interface. For example, Siri's animation has been changed. The signal strength is now no longer displayed in points, but in bars.
• If you put your finger on the signal strength and the time for a while, a screenshot is created with iOS 11. This is automatically saved in the photo album of the linked iPhone.
• Notifications are also now better highlighted. However, since the shortcut menu is quite small, only a small red dot on the corresponding app will inform you about it.
• The changes in the Group's revised map app are particularly important.

Innovations for Apple cards

Apple Maps: When navigating, you are now also notified of speed limits and lane changes. In addition, the app now more reliably points out faster routes in order to avoid traffic jams and slow traffic in good time.

• In future, drivers will be shown which lane they should keep with a small black box. Siri also passes this information on to you via the speech output during navigation.
• Furthermore, CarPlay under iOS 11 now calculates other, faster routes much more reliably. These are shown on the map together with the potentially saved time.
• You will also be informed about the currently permitted maximum speed. However, this does not work in Germany. The feature will probably be submitted as soon as all data has been received by Apple.

iOS 11 automatically makes emergency calls

An emergency call can no longer only be made via the emergency menu in locked mode, but also by pressing the lock button five times. At the same time, a loud sound is heard after a few seconds.

• The new security feature makes it much easier to call for help in emergency situations.
• After pressing the power button five times, the smartphone automatically calls selected contacts and local emergency services.
• Under -Emergency SOS- you define your emergency contacts in the settings. Here you can also set whether automatic calls should be made at all.
• If contacts already exist, it is because they have already been added in the Health app.
• There is a loud countdown tone to prevent accidental triggering of the emergency call. This counts for three seconds and thus still allows the call to be canceled.

In the video: iOS 11 has hidden features

In our next practical tip, you will learn what you need to consider when switching to iOS 11.