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Fiat Joins Microsoft in a Wireless Partnership

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the hacked-cars-make-good-wardrivers dept.

bizpile writes "The AP is reporting that Microsoft and Fiat have gotten together to develop a system of wireless communications into Fiat's vehicles. The goal of the alliance, announced Thursday, is to create a flexible, easy-to-use telematics system (think OnStar from General Motors) for Fiat and its Lancia and Alfa Romeo brands sold in Europe, the companies said."

4 of 219 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Lovely.... by Aranel · · Score: 5, Informative

    Fiat's electrics are reknowned for being dodgy at best (I own two so I should know ;o) ) . Imagine driving a car with Fiat electrics and MS comms...recipe for disaster?! :op --Sarah

  2. Re:Lovely.... by HiQ · · Score: 4, Informative

    i've never owned a Fiat, but know some people who did. One of them complained that his windows would open all of themselves every now and then (when driving on a highway in winter). Another had Alfa Romeo (same concern I believe) which almost always blew it's headlights when you turned then on. So indeed, crappy electrical wiring...

  3. GM didn't make Onstar by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    Despite what you may think, Onstar is not a General Motors product. It was simply their idea, which they then outsourced to none other than Motorola. Although most people don't know it, Onstar is completely built, designed and tested by Motorola. The only part of Onstar they don't run is the call center.

  4. A list of desirable exclusions by syrinje · · Score: 4, Informative
    Since I trust Microsoft products to function flawlesly and reliably here is a list of the functionality that I would like excluded from the purview of this telematic system -

    1. ABS
    2. Fuel Injection
    3. Engine timing
    4. Automatic Transmission (or ratios in stick models)
    5. Airbag deployment
    6. Cruise control
    7. Door locks
    And before you mod me down for being a paranoid tinfoil-hatted troll read about the Phillipine minister who was trapped in his BMW that refused to unlock and let him out? The HAL-in-a-car was very likely a Microsoft Telematic system.

    They can mess all they want with the radio - I'll be switching it off listening to my iPoD anyway :)

    --
    See that long UID - that's what you get for lurking too long