Volvo has just launched the first ever US support for Apple CarPlay in their 2016 model year XC90 crossover this Monday, Dec. 7. The first Volvo vehicle in the U.S to support such software enables iPhone owners to access some apps from the crossover SUV's dash display.

It could be recalled that when the Cupertino company first announced their CarPlay, which allows drivers to access vital iPhone functions with lesser distractions, Volvo was seen as one of the several launch partners. But since then, the automaker has not been seen implementing the software into one of their vehicles in the US until this week.

How does it work? Basically when a user plugs in their iPhone into the XC90's USB port, part of the car's Sensus touch screen infotainment system will shift to an Apple interface. From there, the user will be able to access a wide variety of iPhone apps instead of having to use their devices directly.

The system will also include the tech company's voiced-based assistant, Siri, who will read the user's text messages for them and offer the consumer the chance to reply by just talking.

Apple's CarPlay won't be taking up every pixel on the XC90's 9.0 inch touch screen so the user will still have fast access to the standard vehicle functions. Other iterations of CarPlay might occupy the entire screen so it requires additional button pressers on the consumer's part.

For those that already own the new XC90 and would like the CarPlay software installed in their cars, all they needed to do to activate it is to visit their car dealers. The required software flash would take about an hour or even less to be installed. For those who are planning to buy an XC90 and want CarPlay to be included in their cars, Volvo said that they only need to pay a small additional cost to get it.

Interestingly, Google's smartphone in the car solution called "Android Auto" will arrive on Volvo products sometime next year. The implementation of the said solution will more than likely follow the same formula laid out by CarPlay.