What if Microsoft built cars?

[avdven]

I'm sure everyone's read the joke "What if Microsoft built cars?"
For those who haven't, check it out HERE

But now, apparently, Microsoft isn't building cars, but it's now controlling at least some aspects of cars.

In a word, telematics, in-car computing systems that allow drivers to accomplish a wide variety of tasks -- everything from accessing and responding to e-mail to reviewing their calendars -- without taking their hands off the steering wheel or their eyes off the road. For the last decade, Microsoft has been working with automakers to make telematics a reality for drivers.

I don't know if I trust Microsoft with an embedded computer in my car... eventually they'll be trying to take complete control over the car.

Read the whole article HERE and let me know what you all think about Microsoft taking over our cars.

AJ

[CorporateHaXor]

If M$ built cars, the hood would be welded shut. heh. I would definitely not want a M$ computer in my car.

[NTwk42]

I read an article in MaximumPC (June 2002 - "Rig of the Month" feature on the last page about a 1998 Mustang Cobra Convertible that has a pc in it. Could not find a link to an online version, but here are the specs: AOpen MK7 motherboard, a 1.4GHz Athlon, 512MB of DDR, a Matrox G550 DVI videocard, Western Digital 1000JB hd, PC Power & Cooling 300-watt power supply. He has a DVD player also and sound is piped through the car's speaker system and had can watch DVD's on a NEC 15-inch 1525x DVI display. The only thing the article does not seem to mention is what operating system he runs..... I am guessing it is a Microsoft OS since he took out the passenger side airbag to install the computer (safety is not important!).

[kitain]

Hola,

Well don't worry, if MS build cars you allways will be able to close all windows, shut down the engine and restart it!!!!

[paldie]

M$ is just scary... I think they want to control everything....

[Manic]

hmm..If M$ built cars and you tried to trade it in, they'd probably have a GPS thing inside your car and then they'd torture you with nude pics of Martha Stewart...

[NovaDaemon]

If M$'s cars crashed as much as windows does, we are gonna have A LOT of dead people... thats all i gotta say.

[zaggy]

If M$ made cars........

The term "blue screen of death" would take on a whole new meaning.

Your engine would freeze up and advise you that you are low on system resources.

Your car would slow down the more you used it.

Mechanics that specialized in the engines would become very wealthy.

[phprules]

Imagine taking your computer in to a garage and having MS computer nerds swarm all over it. LOL. That will be the day.

EDIT: I can imagine it now, driving down the street, see a driver swerve in your way, press hard on the breaks, and nothing would happen and an illegal operation error would popup on the screen.