Near-Future Fords to Feature Windows Automotive

dpbsmith writes "The Detroit Free Press reports that a Windows Automotive software suite named Sync will be featured in some cars available Spring 2007, all 2008 Ford models, and Lincoln and Mercury models later. The software does not, apparently, run the engine or do anything directly connected with transportation. It will, rather, allow the user to 'use their vehicle as a computer in key ways, such as hands-free cell phone calls or downloading music or receiving e-mail.' Bill Ford and Bill Gates were reported as saying that having high-definition screens in vehicles, speech recognition, cameras, digital calendars and navigation equipment with directions and road conditions will set car companies apart from their competitors in the future. 'There are going to be those who have it and those who don't. And even those who get it later are going to be a generation behind,' Ford said."

DashPC?

[spoonyfork]

Whither DashPC [dashwerks.com]?

Re:Mostly a problem with women

[ScrewMaster]

Well, my experience is generally that anyone using a cell phone in a car might as well be drunk since it's hard to tell the difference from the way they drive. Now, it may be true that women talk longer on the cell phone: I say that because most women I know talk longer on the regular telephone, in fact I will go so far as to say that the invention of the cordless telephone did more to crank up phone usage than any other single factor. My old girlfriend would talk for hours on the phone, that doubled when she went cordless and then dummy me bought her a headset and I never got to talk to her again. However, I don't know if that applies to cell phone usage, although I suspect it does.

Now, I will say that women drivers, in my experience, are becoming more aggressive, more dangerous, regardless of whether or not they're using a cellular phone. Worse, at least in the area where I live they're all driving giant ASSUVs (Arrogant Suburbanites Sporting Ugly Vehicles.) Apparently insurance company statistics bear that out ... women in the 18 to 25 year old range used to be substantially safer than their male counterparts. Not anymore. So when you combine their native inability to handle a large vehicle (that may sound sexist to some of you, but I drive sixty miles a day surrounded by these feminine sociopaths and it's reached the point where I'm considering moving closer to work) and the inability of pretty much everyone, regardless of sex, to drive effectively with a cell phone jammed in their ear, it's getting pretty goddamned dangerous out there.

Re:Is there anyone?

[edavid]

Zune... Rip, transmit with your Zune, DRM has been added...

Re:They still don't get it

[chris_eineke]

Dear Prospective Ford Motorvehicle Buyer:

We know what you want, but it's too expensive to compete. Congressmen are cheaper.

Love,
    Ford

Re:be the end of Slashdot for me...

[xENoLocO]

Or you can just subscribe to slashdot.

It's quite nice, actually.

Re:Examples of technology distracting drivers exis

[b0s0z0ku]

These days, if you wanted to, you could use off-the-shelf components and get a working system.

I've actually seen a Mac Mini mounted in the DIN slot in a car's dashboard with a small LCD monitor hinged over the CD slot and a keypad controlling it. Apparently, by design or not, the Mac Mini is perfectly sized for this application. And it uses a laptop HDD which just so happens to be pretty vibration resistant.

-b.