Lost amidst the onslaught of all things Apple yesterday was news from Mr. Jobs about new iPod compatible cars. Acura, Honda, Audi and VW  were the four brands announced today, and Apple has posted a convenient page that neatly sums up all the vehicles that offer "seamless integration" of the iPod, which usually means more than simply offering an auxiliary input jack on the head unit. These vehicles offer such features as the ability to control the iPod using the steering wheel controls and displaying song information on the head unit's screen. Honda and Acura will also feature the first text-to-voice function with the iPod, allowing people to hear the menu selections of the iPod instead of looking down at the diminutive screen.

Who truly needs all those bells and whistles, though? After using an FM transmitter for way too long, I'd be more than happy with an AUX input. Here's a site that lists 10 affordable iPod compatible cars, many of which Apple doesn't list. GM models pretty much dominate the list thanks to the inclusion of auxiliary inputs on most 2006 models.

[Thanks Mike for the tip]