iPod all set to travel with GM, Ford & Mazda

Apple Computer Inc.’s extremely popular iPod music player is all set to travel with three major car manufacturers.

The Cupertino, California based company confirmed Thursday that it has inked a deal with three major car manufacturers, Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp. and Mazda, to make it easier for customers to listen to and control their iPods via their car stereo systems.

The automakers would offer the system in their 2007 model vehicles with some way of connecting iPods directly.

Under the deal, over 70 percent of all 2007 U.S. cars will carry iPod connections, said Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of worldwide iPod product marketing.

The digital music player’s integration seems to be as smooth as a dock connection in the glove compartment and its control and navigation will be done through the already existing music system controls.

Other automakers like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo have already signed on to build iPod capabilities into their cars.

General Motors said it will offer its iPod-only setup called "Personal Audio Link" at dealerships for all 56 of its models at a proposed retail cost of less than US$ 160, plus installation.

According to industry experts, the decision to install iPod jacks in new car models could result in bigger sales for the car manufacturers, whose sales have been sluggish.

“What it tells me is the big (auto companies) are listening more intently to the needs of the American consumer,” said Craig Carlson, a Boston-based automotive industry expert. “In terms of selling some more cars, there will be a net effect.”

Most of the carmakers initially were too slow to add iPod connections to their cars, a study released earlier this year by Strategy Analytics said. The study noted that 53 percent of car buyers in the country desired MP3 player sound systems in their vehicles.

Carlson said the auto industry has moved moderately when it came to the iPod because they didn’t get the prodigy and because making MP3-equipped systems required design alterations. Now, as the iPods are being included in the design, car buyers with the music players won’t be turned off by the lack of an iPod jack, Carlson said.

The iPod MP3 player has rapidly become big business and over 58 million iPods have been sold, according to Apple.