Microsoft revs its automotive engines

By Ina Fried
CNET News.com
November 26, 2003, 4:00 AM PT




After swerving off the road a few times, Microsoft is gearing up for another try at the automotive market.
The software maker has persuaded a number of carmakers to use its slimmed-down Windows CE operating system to power a variety of in-car electronics, from navigation systems to music players to information devices. BMW, in particular, has gravitated to Microsoft systems, although the company has announced wins with Honda, Volvo and others as well.

http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104_2-5111932.html

Does anyone really want to drive a car running Windows?

__________________
Regards

Warren

Currently 1965 220Sb, 2002 FORD Crown Vic Police Interceptor

Had 1965 220SEb, 1967 230S, 280SE 4.5, 300SE (W126), 420SEL

ENTER > = (HP RPN)

Not part of the in-crowd since 1952.

I hope to never have to own a car that has to have Windows software to run.

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Jim

if it were running windows, would you crash your car every 5 minutes???

It could be worse, Lucas could build the system, Microsoft could write it, and AOL could do every thing else. It would make a new S class look reliable!

Gives "the blue screen of death" a whole new meaning!

__________________
past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
'86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper)

Click "Start" to shut down?

No. It would be more like when you needed your car the most, it would just stop running for no apparent reason, until you rolled to the side of the road and restarted it. After which it would take 10 minutes to check for errors, which it would tell you is necessary because you shut it down improperly and that in the future you should follow the correct procedure for shutting it down. Then it would start, and let you drive it, provided you go all the way back to where you started and start over. It would then be fine until the next time you really needed it...

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1982 Mercedes-Benz 300CD
1982 Mercedes-Benz 240D - stick

Not to mention the trips to the dealer every 6 weeks for a patch. Otherwise some 16 year old will make your car start playing Wagner at full volume on midnight of Henry Ford's birthday, before it switches itself off and refuses to restart...

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Tjohn

82 300 SD
77 450 SL (gone)

For the record, both of our W220 S500s have been impeccably reliable. Then again, I am one of those fools who uses WinXP, MacOS, and Linux and likes all 3 for each of their strong points.
~D.J.~

no wonder my windows won't go down anymore.........
William Rogers........

I bet Bill is trying to figure out a way that when you upgrade your navigation system it makes your tires not fit anymore. Then Bill will get into the tire business (Gates Tires, get it).

*LOOL*
Good one.

Freestyler

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Never criticize someone until you've walked a mile in his shoes. That way, when you do, you're a mile away -and you have his shoes!


'86 300E optically converted to '95 E300 (Sold)
-Blauschwarz on silver
-Black leather
-17" AMG & 15" AMG for winter

REDMOND, Wash. -- First Microsoft set out to put a computer in every home. Now the software giant hopes to put one in every vehicle, too.

"We'd like to have one of our operating systems in every car on Earth," said Dick Brass, vice-president of Microsoft's automotive business unit. "It's a lofty goal."

Cars with the Microsoft software will speak up when it's time for an oil change. They'll warn drivers about wrecks on the road ahead and scout alternative routes. They'll pay freeway tolls automatically. The software running their brakes will upgrade itself wirelessly.

The Microsoft platform already is in 23 different car models, including the BMW 7 series, Citroen, Daimler, Fiat, Volvo, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Toyota.

Brass made his remarks last week at a technology, tolls and transportation conference held at Microsoft and sponsored by the Discovery Institute's Cascadia Project.

Globally, there are 650 million cars, and 50 million new vehicles are produced every year, Brass said -- comparable to the market for desktop computers.

Microprocessors already control major vehicle functions. And for years, Microsoft has been making inroads in automotive telematics, a combination of computers and telecommunications.

Brass said drivers spend millions of hours commuting and are distracted by myriad gadgets, including hand-held viewers that offer traffic reports from the state Department of Transportation.

Microsoft's TBox, which he said will be available in 12 to 36 months, can connect them all and make them hands-free.

"The idea is to make it easy to bring phones and laptops into the car ... and connect to networks around it," Brass said.

The device has a processor, memory and a hard drive with no moving parts, said Peter Wengert, marketing manager for Microsoft's automotive unit.

At the conference, Brass showed on-the-street interviews asking what gadgets future cars should carry.

"I don't want Ford making PDAs, and I don't want Microsoft making cars," one man said.

But bringing the two together seems inevitable. Brass said drivers could use the system to create 21st century vanpools and help reduce congestion.

"It's possible to imagine setting a system in place with 5,000 to 10,000 vans and have a dramatic reduction in traffic," he said. "With GPS and TBox, we have the tools we would need to put this all together."

Doug Klunder, director of the Privacy Project at the American Civil Liberties Union, asked Brass how Microsoft plans to protect individual information.

"We really, really, really understand the need for security and privacy," Brass said, suggesting that encrypting and not storing the information are two ways to address some concerns.

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2000 Ford 7.3 Powerstroke 4x4
2006 Mazda Tribute
1983 Black 300 D (donated to charity)
1993 Teal 300 D (160K) Sold
"I love the smell of burnt diesel fuel in the morning, it smells like ....VICTORY"

Semper Fidelis
USMC 1973-1976

So is it called WinCE? or is that what you eventually end up doing?