Microsoft Wants Its Software In Every Car!
Microsoft Aims for Software in Every Car
Dec 1, 12:36 AM (ET)
REDMOND, Wash. (AP) - 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.
Dec 1, 12:36 AM (ET)
REDMOND, Wash. (AP) - 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.
Comments
That will give new meaning to the term 'crash'
Seriously though I don't know how I feel about that, I mean it's cool but I really don't want MS doing that. I would love a car with an Apple OS haha, but I don't see that happening.
In our explorer I already have a display that tells me almost all I need to know, what does MS plan to add that will make it better?
VW running Apple
Originally posted by MacsRGood4U
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.
Way to dodge the question, Mr. Brass.
Given that Ford just moved en masse to Linux, I really don't see this happening. If something like this is to happen, it's hard to dispute that the best implementation is decentralized and standards-based, so that car makers and businesses can write their own applications to make use of whatever these technologies are, and share them (or not share them) with whomever it suits them to. MS just wants another way to gather a whole lot of personal data under Passport (among other things).
Originally posted by pensieve
The software that controls my brakes will be updated wirelessly. I don't think I trust MS with that. Why the hell would my brakes need software anyway?!? And I don't want no damn stinkin' passport crap controlling when my money is dolled out on the internet much less on the road. Sheesh. Like we need more MS crap to be screwing up the world...
seriously.....the only thing i want a computer in my car for is for statistical info (mileage, distance, etc), maybe entertainment purposes (radio, possibly video screens), mapping, and....um....that's it.
there isnt a need elsewhere.
The software running their brakes will upgrade itself wirelessly.
So. Absolutely no possibility of badly-written MS software causing my brakes to fail, and my car hoofing into the side of a bus full of nuns?
I wonder if they all forgo insurance, leave their houses wide open and drive without seat belts?
Hmmm...all the Porsches, and Bentleys are automatically directed via GPS to an undisclosed location.
Originally posted by pensieve
Why the hell would my brakes need software anyway?!?
do
{
if (brake_pressure() == 'Y')
{
slow_down();
pay_Microsoft_more_money();
}
else
pay_Microsoft_more_money();
}
while (engine_status == "ON");
Originally posted by applenut
seriously.....the only thing i want a computer in my car for is for statistical info (mileage, distance, etc), maybe entertainment purposes (radio, possibly video screens), mapping, and....um....that's it.
there isnt a need elsewhere.
Several of the responses in this thread seem to share a misunderstanding best characterised by the one quoted above. Computers *already* run modern cars, and I'm not talking about DVD players or sat-nav.
When you take a modern car in for a service they download diagnostic info from a computer in your engine to see what's been happening. You can even 'overclock' cars by 'chipping' them like you would an xbox or by flashing their roms with new software that will change the fuel consumption, horsepower, torque and several other things that effect the feel of a car.
Random Google link: http://www.dervman.com/ecuupgrade.htm
If Microsoft Made Cars
10. New seats would require everyone to have the same butt size.
9. We would all have to switch to Microsoft Gas.
8. The U.S. government would be forced to rebuild all of the roads for Microsoft cars; they will drive on the old roads, but they run very slowly.
7. The oil, alternator, gas and engine warning lights would be replaced by a single 'General Car Fault' warning light.
6. Apple computers would make a car that was solar-powered, twice as reliable and five times as fast, but would run on only 5% of the roads.
5. You would be constantly pressured to upgrade your car.
4. You could have only one person in the car at a time, unless you bought a Car95 or CarNT -- but then you would have to buy ten more seats and a new engine.
3. Occasionally, your car would die for NO apparent reason and you would have to restart it. Strangely, you would just accept this as normal.
2. Every time the lines of the road were repainted, you would have to buy a new car.
1. People would get excited about the new features of the latest Microsoft cars, forgetting that these same features had been ailable from other car makers for years!
Originally posted by ast3r3x
VW running Apple
Not quite sure what it is with the commie love fest here. . . Yeah, Steve had a microbus, but VW is not a daring automaker, and it's not Thinking Different(ly).
The only automaker out there that's really a page ahead is Mazda.
Originally posted by Splinemodel
Not quite sure what it is with the commie love fest here. . . Yeah, Steve had a microbus, but VW is not a daring automaker, and it's not Thinking Different(ly).
The only automaker out there that's really a page ahead is Mazda.
VW = commie lovefest
Mazda = innovator
Oh. My. Dear. Sweet. Lord.
Screed
Not quite sure what it is with the commie love fest here. . . Yeah, Steve had a microbus, but VW is not a daring automaker, and it's not Thinking Different(ly).
Pods unite. Duh?
Seriously though why should a car use anything but QNX or embedded Linux? It should be open source if possible. Otherwise...the Grey Screen of Pavement? That is incredible that M$ systems are already in cars. Have there been any failures?
The Microsoft platform already is in 23 different car models, including the BMW 7 series, Citroen, Daimler, Fiat, Volvo, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Toyota.
There goes Volvo's track record of safety...
applenut new BMWs couldn't move without a computer controlling them, like it or not they are becoming integral to a car. That's why I'm getting a '68 Corvette...someday! Just need to put in a nice system and plug in my iPod, I'll keep my computing to my PowerBook!
Can we say monopoly? Not sure how well that would fly. MS wants to have their software in EVERY car in the world? Sounds like they are lookin to take over. I wouldn't feel safe driving anymore.
but of course this doesn't surprise me... microsoft wants money and information to leverage into more money. the best way to do that is to work your way into a critical component of the american culture -- the car.
i am just appalled that people don't have more of a problem with ONE COMPANY being involved in everything we do all day long. hell, they're practically government!
Originally posted by rok
am i the only one a bit surprised that microsoft even HAS an automotive division in the first place?
When they've got $50billion in the bank, they can have anything they want. I'm sure they've got a "trash collector" division, too (and they would be well-suited to the task
Go down to Tuesday January 19th 2038.
It was created pre-2nd-millenium AFAIK. Or maybe 2000-2001. I thought it was just humor, but...
Originally posted by cooop
Code:
do
{
if (brake_pressure() == 'Y')
{
slow_down();
pay_Microsoft_more_money();
}
else
pay_Microsoft_more_money();
}
while (engine_status == "ON");
I'd just like to say...
'Y' should be an int or float, and "ON" should be boolean. That bug could be nasty at runtime
(not to mention even in Windows Auto Edition Service Pack 1 when those bugs are fixed, because they've used == instead of >= you need to push the break pedal to within 1/100th of an arc second for the breaks to function)