Microsoft Teams With Automakers To Put Windows, Office In Cars (microsoft.com)

An anonymous reader writes: Today Microsoft announced partnerships with several companies to bring Windows 10, Office 365, and Azure to cars. Volvo is having their Call Universal App integrate with Windows 10 smartphones and Microsoft Band 2 watches to let drivers interact with their cars. Harman, a company that builds infotainment systems, will allow drivers to access Office 365 services (while parked or while the car is driving itself). IAV, a similar company, will let users stream Windows 10 Continuum from their smartphone directly to a vehicle's dashboard. Finally, Nissan's LEAF and Infiniti models in Europe will run their telematics system on Azure. "The common thread between these announcements is that Microsoft is pitching Azure as an enabling platform, tossing in analytics and focusing on its core productivity strengths. Aside from the Microsoft Band 2 partnership with Volvo, Microsoft is taking an enterprise behind-the-scenes approach to the auto industry."

Comments

Nobody fucking wants this

[AuMatar]

First off, the entire idea of having a screen like that in any seat the driver can see is fucking idiotic and will cause crashes. But even ignoring that- I don't need my car to have a bunch of software that's always out of date and doesn't do what I want. If you're going to implement this, just let my phone screencast to it and take touch input from it.

Re:Nobody fucking wants this

[Mashiki]

Don't worry, when the centre console fails it'll only cost you $1k or more to get it replaced. And seeing as how every car company out there also makes the entire thing responsible for important things like the heater controls and signal chimes, this is gonna be a real fucking mess.

Re:Nobody fucking wants this

[TWX]

First off, the entire idea of having a screen like that in any seat the driver can see is fucking idiotic and will cause crashes.

Automakers have really jumped the shark. Control surfaces used to be basically entirely tactile once one learned the basic layout, one could operate all of the usual features without looking at them. One could change the HVAC settings, the radio station, next/back on the CD, control the heated seats, set the cruise control, operate all of the accessories without looking at them once once was familiar enough with them. Now, with touchscreens, there are no longer unique-feeling buttons to become accustomed to. One has to take one's eyes off of the road in order to change music or to set the HVAC controls.

This is completely insane. We wouldn't need so much lane-monitoring or collision-avoidance technology if people weren't forced to multitask on a computer in order to drive a car. Visual user interfaces beyond the passive feedback of speed, RPM, and characteristics of mechanical performance should be secondary, not primary. Primary should involve touch or speech to provide input and should use audio playback as the primary means of prompt or acknowledgement for all non-driving tasks that the car is capable of doing.

My car plays a tone if I've left the keys in with the engine off or if I've left the lights on with the engine off when I open my door. My car plays a tone when the turn signal or the hazard lights operate. This particular car plays a tone if I've driven more than a quarter-mile with my turn signal operating. Some cars play tones if the speed exceeds a certain amount without seatbelts on, or if the gauges read too far out of tolerance, or if it activates an idiot-light, or if one tries to drive with a door not fully closed. I've even seen a few like a buddy's older Grand Cherokee that alerts the driver if it detects that an exterior lamp's bulb is not working. These indicators don't take a whole lot of the driver's attention while they're driving compared to having screens to read.

It'll be out of date

[hawguy]

I keep my cars a lot longer than my computers.

My car was built in 2003, the year the Pentium 4 (single core, 4GB max addressable memory) was released and WinXP was mainstream, but only 2 years old, maybe my car would have had Win98 or WinME.

What are the chances that these "smart cars" will be getting software updates and have upgradable hardware. (and even if they do have hardware upgrades, will it be affordable? I replaced my old factory stereo with a new USB+MP3+Bluetooth+speakerphone player for $150 - the OEM AM/FM/CD-only replacement costs $500)

Manufacturers of "smart cars" should be required to publish full programming and interface specs so third party manufacturers can release alternative hardware.

Dear Microsoft ..

[gstoddart]

Fuck off.

I will not buy a car with your shit in it. Not now, not ever.

OH FOR FUCK'S SAKE, IT'S A CAR!

[kheldan]

This has got to be the most rediculous thing I've heard recently. As if people aren't stupid enough about playing with their phones while driving and getting distracted by that, now they want to put a full Windows OS in your car, too? Oh and by the way, the full-on dystopian 1984 future will then be here: you'll be spied on in your home, on your phone, at work, and in your car, all by Windows 10.

FUCK THAT SHIT!

Listen carefully, people: It's a car, not a lifestyle! It's transportation. You do not need Windows 10 in your gods-be-damned car; you need to forget all that, and put away your gods-be-damned phone, too, and PAY ATTENTION TO THE ROAD!