Pioneer plans to expand its partnership with Pandora Internet Radio by enabling nine different versions of its product to sport streaming Internet radio; previously, only two models could do so.
Pioneer is also upping the ante for social integration. Now its dashboards can connect to users' Twitter and Facebook accounts, as well as read friends' Twitter and Facebook status updates to the driver. It will display friends' face on the screen and let drivers know what they're doing, even while driving. Pioneer partnered with Aha Radio in order to power the reading of tweets and status updates.
Part of the problem, Pioneer's Ted Cardenas said, is that smartphones aren't sufficient for the car because the screens are too small and the touchscreens of modern phones requires a driver's full attention, something he or she shouldn't give when driving.
Pioneer also launched SmartCradle, an attachment for iPhone that enhances the GPS capabilities of location-based apps, as well as enhances audio for easier hands-free driving.