In embodiments of the present invention, a virtual phone is provided which includes a touch screen mounted on an enclosure that includes a processor, memory, wireless communication port, and a power port. The virtual phone further includes a software application executing on the processor to control image display on the touch screen and emulate features of a handheld device presented in the image in response to a user touching a presented feature. The virtual phone further includes a configuration of a user-specific handheld device that is derived from the user-specific handheld device is stored in a memory that is accessible to the processor; wherein the virtual phone presents a visual representation of the user-specific handheld device on the touch screen based on the configuration.

Systems and methods for promoting connectivity between a mobile communication device having a touch screen and a vehicle touch screen installed in a vehicle are disclosed. According to an embodiments, a system may include a controller configured to: connect to the mobile communication device and to the vehicle touch screen. The controller may also be configured to receive video signal of a current screen video image shown on the touch screen of the mobile communication device and transmit the current video image to the vehicle touch screen, causing a corresponding video image of the current screen video image to be displayed on the vehicle touch screen. The controller may further be configured to receive a signal indicative of a touch action that was performed on the vehicle touch screen, and cause the mobile communication device to respond as if a touch action corresponding to the touch action that was performed on the vehicle touch screen was performed on the touch screen of the mobile communication device.

A vehicle that can mitigate the effects of high ambient noise level is provided. The vehicle can determine using image data and/or other sensor data that the vehicle is in a convertible state. The vehicle further determines that an ambient noise level in the vehicle is higher than a threshold. The vehicle then switches the mode of operation in order to clearly receive audio input and interpret the audio input. The vehicle may enable a lip reading mode and/or a gesture and facial expression detection mode in order to determine words spoken by a user of the vehicle. The vehicle may further store association information between a gesture and a corresponding verbal command associated with the vehicle. In high ambient noise environments, the vehicle may suggest using the gestures/facial expressions instead of verbal commands.