MMI and Siri

[pjuk]

So I was really disappointed that the wheel voice button won't activate Siri on the iPhone and instead uses the Audi voice control system. However... I was messing around with the phone the other day and realised that the "Hey Siri" mode was deactivated so I switched it back on. Low and behold I can activate Siri using the wheel voice button by holding down the button, shouting "Hey Siri", followed by a command such as "Text my wife 'I'm going to be late'" All this needs to be done with the phone plugged into using an MMI cable. I have a yellow one for my iPhone 5s with the latest iOS8.4.1.

Now the only problem is that the Audi voice control system still tries to make sense of "Hey Siri, text my wife I'm going to be late". Does anyone know if you can deactivate the voice control system but still allow the voice button to route the microphone to a device? Another issue is that I haven't figured out how to make the Siri feedback come through the car speakers so you just have to hope that what you have said is ok.

 

[DJAlix]

I thought the point of "Hey Siri" was that no physical action from the user was needed, that the iPhone listens for a spoken trigger phrase instead? Seems to be like your voice is triggering the iPhone and the button press is triggering the Audi voice control at the same time, if you see what I mean...

 

[pjuk]

That's what I thought, however the voice button on the wheel seems to pass the voice directly to the phone. Without pressing (and holding) the button the phone doesn't pick anything up.

 

[DJAlix]

This is the first time I have commented on a Siri thread and it's reminded me of something I found while analysing 5F - Information Electr. Module scans. Just looked back on my notes and noticed that the TechPack unit has an Apple channel setting which is off by default:

(39)-Vehicle configuration-Apple_DIO

Maybe this has something to do with the issue. The standard MMI does not have this option.

 

[pjuk]

I'm driving the A3 e-tron so comes with the MMIplus - not sure if this is the same as the TechPack. Any idea what this setting does?

 

[DJAlix]

I think that the TechPack. What colour are the selection buttons around your MMI jog wheel, chrome?

 

[pjuk]

Yup, chrome.

 

[DJAlix]

You have the TechPack then. At this moment in time I am unsure of what "apple" channel / setting is for as I don't have a TechPack unit to test with but the label suggests that it is for data input / output. If you are in London we could find out

 

[pjuk]

I'm based up in High Barnet so if you are close then I'd be up for trying it out. I'm also intrested in how audi plays out the whole CarPlay and Google Car given that on the Golf GTE it appears to work. Wonder if the MMI can be updated or hacked to allow it especially since the new A4 has it as standard.

 

[DJAlix]

Am in Muswell Hill. Will drop you a private message.

Am interested in car play also. The MMI system has been touted as upgradable, both hardware and software, so new features can be added in theory but Audi will probably not bother. I would love to be able to plug in to a new A4 to see what systems are installed and the differences.

Check this link out.

 

[pjuk]

My thoughts exactly. Hopefully someone will port the software over from the A4 to the A3 given the hardware is more than capable and IIRC CarPlay was demoed on an A3 system. It would be a shame to cripple the technology due to the engineers being lazy especially as Audi said that CarPlay would make it into new models in 2015. Maybe it will be possible if the A3 gets an update next year to "copy" the software over.

I drive to work a few times a week so pass through East Finchley/Muswell Hill on my way into town. If you are free one morning then I could drop by.

 

[robw77]

From a quick Google search and reading a few other forums it seems like Siri works fine on A3/S3 8V's that don't have the Sat Nav/Tech Pack. You can basically press the home button or say Hey Siri and the voice controls for Siri are then routed through the car speakers and mic. However if you have the Sat Nav/Tech Pack then it doesn't work.

Can anyone confirm that's right? Certainly it doesn't seem to work for me and I have the Tech Pack.

 

[DJAlix]

I

From a quick Google search and reading a few other forums it seems like Siri works fine on A3/S3 8V's that don't have the Sat Nav/Tech Pack. You can basically press the home button or say Hey Siri and the voice controls for Siri are then routed through the car speakers and mic. However if you have the Sat Nav/Tech Pack then it doesn't work.

Can anyone confirm that's right? Certainly it doesn't seem to work for me and I have the Tech Pack.

I personally believe that this only works with the iPhone plugged in, which then sets the iPhone in to "Hey Siri trigger phrase" listening mode (if configured), which is picked up by the iPhones own microphone. With a car not having Nav and people saying this makes a difference, well not having Nav renders the button inactive and people are just "thinking" that when pressed it works.

 

[Ignition1]

My Windows Phone's "Cortana" mode kicks in every time I receive a text when I'm driving, I can voice control it.

I switched it off as it got really annoying, especially if I get a spam message and I get 2 minutes of robotic voice saying "We're...con-tact-ing you ab-out you're re-cent acc-i-dent. You are eli-gi-ble for a claim of pound sign fifty thou-sand pounds" Argh!

No matter how many times you tell it to stop, or shut up...just keeps on going.

 

[robw77]

I


I personally believe that this only works with the iPhone plugged in, which then sets the iPhone in to "Hey Siri trigger phrase" listening mode (if configured), which is picked up by the iPhones own microphone. With a car not having Nav and people saying this makes a difference, well not having Nav renders the button inactive and people are just "thinking" that when pressed it works.

Yep I agree. However aside from the whole triggering of Siri function (be it via the iPhone home button or saying Hey Siri) it does seem that once you are in Siri mode if you don't have the Tech Pack you will be able to use full Siri functionality through the car speakers and microphone. However if you have Tech Pack like me then this doesn't work. Not sure if same applies to SD Sat Nav pack too.

 

[DJAlix]

I cannot remember the last time I used Siri but will try it out. I have SD Nav.

 

[vamos]

Hey Siri only works according to my iPhone when the phone is plugged into a power source...

 

[Ormesome]

Thats probably because you have an Iphone 6 not an iphone 6S or 7. i think with the iphone 6 "hey Siri" is only activated when charging? whereas with 6S and 7 its always listening. Works all the time with my iphone 6S.

Above advice in other posts is not accurate, well not for me anyway. Nothing plugged in, on any Mode on MMI (radio,media, phone....) and "Hey Siri" works fine. Doesnt work pressing the voice button on the steering wheel as that is for the Audi Voice Command but i can should out "Hey Siri" at any time providing the MMI is on and bluettoth is connected and it picks it up. i DONT have the tech pack so maybe those comments above are affecting others results.

A thread like this really should be a sticky for new owners to see this function. It has made my world a lot easier. I dont have many options on my car so im delighted that Hey Siri works so well.

 

[vamos]

That's a good point - I have an Se so that's a limitation.

 

[Ormesome]

SE should be fine. This is from the Apple Website:

With iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE, and iPad Pro (9.7-inch) you can use “Hey Siri” without plugging into power

 

[hoppyjr]

Old thread, but....

On my girlfriends 2016 A3 Premium (without Nav) she simply presses, but doesn't hold the talk button, says "Hey Siri", and the phone prompts her and uses the audio system without issue.

 

[Ormesome]

why is she pressing the talk button? thats to control the cars system i.e. MMI.

Hey Siri works via the iPhone and will work without pressing the talk button.

You have 2 systems there and might be getting confused? Not sure if Siri has or ever will be able to control the MMI.

I think what you are doing is pressing the button not he steering wheel, saying Hey Siri and the phone is catching what you are saying, ie the command to wake up Siri. The iPhone has a really good speaker/microphone and i have not had a missed command once.

 

[DJAlix]

Is the iPhone on charge while "hey siri" is being said?

Hey Siri only works when power is being supplied to the iPhone and I found that I could trigger siri without pressing any buttons as the microphone in the iPhone is pretty good. Any responses / prompts would then play out over the bluetooth audio and through the cars speakers.

 

[Ormesome]

See my post above, number 20 i think...

With iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE, and iPad Pro (9.7-inch) you can use “Hey Siri” without plugging into power

Hey Siri, if you have the phone above, is always listening so will work charging or not. Siri then plays/talks back via car speakers via Bluetooth. Siri is so good now it makes the other Audi services like read messages etc.. obsolete.

 

[DJAlix]

"Hey Siri" used to be available on charge only. Must have changed in iOS 10.

 

[Ormesome]

Only the iPhones quoted above have it. Must be hardware not software?or at least the memory/ram to be able to be constantly active.

Edit: Just read up about it and it seems its because of the new chips in iPhones after the 6 as they are more efficient.

 

[hoppyjr]

I'm old, but not confused.

I realize they "Hey Siri" works without pressing anything, but it doesn't connect or use the cars microphone, at least on her car. I've read that some have tried pressing and holding the talk button, with mixed results.

On her car, simply pressing and releasing the "talk" button on the steering wheel, the cars microphone is initialized and audio is handled via the cars MMI system.

 

[Ormesome]

I realize they "Hey Siri" works without pressing anything, but it doesn't connect or use the cars microphone, at least on her car. I've read that some have tried pressing and holding the talk button, with mixed results.

I see..... Hey Siri could actually be using the microphone to be honest as in my car when you say "Hey Siri" there is a small pause whilst it is activated.

It seems the normal silent listening is via its own iPhone microphone but then once you wake up the phone via the command, it could be listening though the cars speakers. It would make sense as it is using Bluetooth so you can hear Siri so i don't think it would interrupt the Bluetooth connection for a few seconds just to revert back to its own microphone to hear you and then back to car speaker to project Siri. If it reverted back to normal listening via the phone then there would always be a small delay, which there isnt. If that makes sense!! Essentially its like a bluetooth call is happening. Would love to hear other peoples views on this too

The feedback you get from Siri is always through the cars speakers over bluetooth providing you have your iPhone connected to your car via Bluetooth!

On her car, simply pressing and releasing the "talk" button on the steering wheel, the cars microphone is initialized and audio is handled via the cars MMI system.

i don't quite understand this.... Isn't this the point of the handsfree Audi MMI system?!

 

[Ormesome]

I have just been out and tried this. If you press the button on the steering wheel and say the "heySiri" command then Siri is activated. this does not use the MMI voice system. It is simply the phone listening to you constantly via its own microphone and then connecting instantly to Bluetooth when it hears the activation words ie "heySiri" and giving feedback via bluetooth. If you do this and when Siri is activated ( you will know as you hear the Siri "beeb" type noise) press the steering wheel button for a 2nd time, then you get a message on the DIS saying "service not available". This is because bluetooth mode is activated and being used so cannot be used to voice activate via MMI. However if you go back to the start, press the MMI voice button on the wheel and stay quiet or give a normal command like radio (no Hey Siri involved) but then press it a 2nd time, you get no such message. This means that the MMI voice system is activated.

I think!!