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They went for every home PC, firm network and mobile phone and PDA system, now...

Microsoft software in every car?

This reminds me of an old and funny joke about Windows and automobiles that may just come true now...

And what will happen when the car preforms an illgeal operation; will the driver get a traffic ticket?

Seriously, this is disturbing. Their goal is to have M$ in every car?

They'll pay freeway tolls automatically.

How often will it malfunction and pay the toll when you are simply driving nearby one?

Blue screens of death can now be literal!..yay!

what a tremendously bad idea.

Microsoft wants control over everything that has and can have software in it. No surprise here.


This will be easy to deter. After the first ten or so failed tests, the project will most likely be scrapped by safety authorities.

NO! NONONONONO!

I'll freaking buy a moped if this happens, I swear to Gord!

They should be using QNX.

My car already tells me when I need an oil change. There is the little red maintenence indicator under the milelage. If I dont notice that, then there is the mileage counter itself. Failing even that, a little red light will come on when Im low on oil.

Avoiding accidents can be done by listening to the radio, as for planning alternate routes. Fat chance, most times you cant get around on city streets any faster than sitting on the freeway. Once in a while, you can. I did the other day, but I did not need a computer to help me.

Paying tolls is without stopping is already available. I dont see how Microsoft is gonna improve much on it.

Im not sure I want my cars' braking software upgraded via a wireless connection.

I believe a high-end Mercedes or BMW has a version of Windows already. As I recall, the first generation was so buggy that the cars were almost undrivable. The trunks would pop open at highway speeds, the door locks wouldn't function properly. Fortunately for the saps who bought them, they patched the problems which shouldn't have occured in the first place.

Luckily, Im driving an 84 Alfasud Sprint, which doesn't even have a radio I don't plan on changing to a modern car in nearby future...there is NOTHING like the sound of twin vertical Weber 40 carburettors mounted on a 1.7 boxer engine...its better than music...

And what next? Automatic gearboxes (I know Americans have almost all cars on automatic...poor fellas), 150 channel ABS, ARS, traction control...and all that controlled by Microshits operating system? Im not feeling suicidal enough to ride one of these.

Microsoft actually wants car to evolve into a tool for idiots.
-Geee, what is that red light flashing there? Is something broken? Oh my god, I can't recognize an oil pressure indicator even when it is flashing directly at me...

this doesn't exactly inspire my confidence in microsoft. according to the article the software running the brakes will upgrade itself wirelessly. knowing microsoft's track record i wouldn't be at all surprised if it happened to 'accidentally' upgrade on the freeway or some other busy situation and made brakes unusuable while it was in the middle of said upgrade.

they shouldn't even CONSIDER implementing an upgrade feature.

If something needs upgrade, it means it has flaws. It has flaws...then its outta here. It's WAY too serious to tamper with any of the main car elements, like engine, suspension or brakes.
Now. I have driven a car which had its suspension rigged up with all kinds of treats - ARS, traction control etc. (Alfa Romeo 156 GTA) - and everything is fine until it works. Microsoft means unstability, and that means higher death/crash count on the street.

Every light and indicator in the car is replaced by one red LED labeled "General Car Fault"

My all-time personal favourite:

"The airbag system would say "Are you sure?" before going off."

This should bring a whole new meaning to your car crashing.

This is disturbing. Suddenly the Yugo is looking a LOT better.

Admiral Valdemar wrote:They went for every home PC, firm network and mobile phone and PDA system, now...

Microsoft software in every car?

This reminds me of an old and funny joke about Windows and automobiles that may just come true now...

Terrible Idea for the things a automobile computer has to do simple assembly language and imbedded controllers are suffitiant. There is no real need for the bells an whistles in something that requires to opperate at all time without any mistakes! This is something I have had to learn how to program and use and the truth of the matter is the least complicated instruction set is the best, Period! What this is is to force microchip manufactures to only recognize Microsoft's instrustion set rather than the general set they have used from the get go making it so that only MS programmers can right their software or they will be required to compile it with a MS compiler. THIS IS REALLY AN ATTEMPT TO FORCE A OPPERATING SYSTEM INTO A SYSTEM THAT HAS NO NEED OF IT.

Now i see why everyone want's to Kill Bill. Drum roll please!

Not only that but Windows CE sucks. If was have to have a OS in a car the Palm OS would be Much better.

darthdavid wrote:Now i see why everyone want's to Kill Bill. Drum roll please!

Boooo

*ducks to avoid cabbage and aardvarks thrown about him*

This is very old news. The idea of Microsoft software running on car computers known as Auto PCs dates back to 1998. I myself had the SDKs neccessary to code for that enviroment for three years.

I seriously doubt this initiative is going to take off. I have never seen an Auto PC in operation. The only source of information on them is technical documentation. Even reknowned Microsoft developer magazines like MSJ never featured any story on them. If you ask me I say we will never be driving cars that run Windows.

I can't wait to see the person who loads Linux in their car...