iOS 17 Bolsters iPhone’s Visual Search to Decode Car Dashboard Symbols. The latest iOS 17 update brings a suite of enhancements, including a significant upgrade to the iPhone’s Visual Search capability. Now, Visual Search extends its object recognition prowess to include the interpretation of common symbols and warning lights found on car dashboards.
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Visual Search can now decipher everything from critical warning lights to more obscure icons, like air vent indicators and defrost symbols. The feature is designed for ease of use: when viewing a photo in full screen or a paused video frame, users can look for the Information button marked with a star symbol indicating features such as “Food Detected” or “Dog Detected.” If this symbol is present, Visual Search is at your service.
To use the feature, one simply taps the starred Info button, followed by “Look Up” at the top of the photo’s details to see Visual Search’s findings.
While the broader iOS 17 features have been well-publicized by Apple, the inclusion of car symbol recognition was first introduced during the WWDC23 event in June but wasn’t heavily emphasized post-release.
The tool is designed to handle multiple symbols within a single image, ensuring that users can understand their dashboard’s visual alerts even when lit up with multiple indicators. Upon recognition, iOS 17 not only names the symbol but also provides a succinct explanation. For those seeking more in-depth information, the system offers quick links to perform further research in Safari.
Despite these advances, early hands-on experiences suggest that Visual Search may not yet be fully operational for car dashboard symbols in certain regions, such as Italy. Whether this is a temporary limitation or something that will be addressed in forthcoming iOS updates remains to be seen. However, the expansion of Visual Search marks a promising step forward in making the iPhone an even more helpful companion for car owners worldwide.
