Windows running my car? N0000000!

[CubaTBird]

Windows in the drivers seat, watch out!

http://news.com.com/Car+crazy+Microsoft+in+the+drivers+seat/2100-1046_3-5419404.html?tag=cd.lede

[yippy]

A whole new meaning to the blue screen of death. That is scary.

[Mechcozmo]

Or, crashing... literally.

[Apple Hobo]

I would never buy a piece of s**t car with Windows on it! :mad: If I had no choice, I'd find some way hack it and put some kind of small *nix (or MacOS :D) on it.

[FelixDerKater]

Windows will never control the basic functions of a car. It is for accessories.

[solvs]

Didn't someone get stuck in their BMW because the system crashed? It was Windows CE I believe. Could be an urban myth.

Edit: Nope, guess not. Crashed an Aiport system awhile back as well.

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=BMW+Windows+system+crashed&tab=Web&fr=my-vert-web-top&btn=Yahoo%21+Search+

[iMeowbot]

The BMW story was bogus. The car that wouldn't open was several years old, no software involved in the door problem.

The airport shutdown story did really happen though.

[AmigoMac]

People will start writing virus, trojans, worms ... in less than a month.
Other will hack it and install linux, apple will say that there is no market for it and they won't touch that sector, but they will include a device where you have your iCal and address book, iPhoto &, of course, itunes for you on the road, Mac os road... :cool:

-The car will only work on roads made by MS :mad: :p
-Oil or Fuel failure will be interpreted as general error and you will have to reinstall the drivers for the engine. :eek:
-In case of emergency, the auto will display a message : "Are you sure to use the airbag, right now? <y/n>" :rolleyes:

[J.Allen]

Motec or Apxei

Nothing else really rates.

[JeffTL]

I'm wincing about the idea of having WinCE anywhere near my car -- we have enough car problems as is, with the fear of the '99 Taurus spring problem.

Windows CE is what powers the PocketPC PDAs, which seem to crash a lot more than Palms for some reason.

[srobert]

Funny that just before reading this thread I stumbled upon this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/986910_6104f38f55.jpg

Windows errors on giant public billlboards are their own cult Internet photo-genre, but this is a great example of the species: an enormous Windows error dialogue-box on the towering billboard across from Toronto's Eaton Centre.

[Mr_Ed]

Glad to see it is just for accessories, but I still don't want anything 'Winblows' in my vehicle. Can you imagine paying $60,000-100,000 for a "premium" vehicle and having the navigation system crash, or having intermittent problems with your phone connection?

Thanks, but no, thanks!
:mad:

[AmigoMac]

Funny that just before reading this thread I stumbled upon this:


Are you sure it was not a Mac advertising? :)

You had to wait after the blue screen and the "get a Mac" ...

but now that you talk about this...

It's from the computer in one bus -yes, I was there-, it should guide the people where to get out, but... it's windows... :), you know!

[yellow]

The BCM (Body Control Module?) on my Jeep just crashed and burned on Sunday (Oct 17th). With it dead, I had no Speedometer, no headlights, no wipers, no interior lights, no power locks, no remote keyless entry, poor shifting, and a host of other things.

It took 4 days to get it fixed, the dealership had to order a replacement BCM from DaimlerChrysler that was specifically tailored for my Jeep.

Thanksfully it was under warranty, I'm guessing a replacement BCM for an out of warranty car is expen$$$ive!

[Mr_Ed]

The BCM (Body Control Module?) on my Jeep just crashed and burned on Sunday (Oct 17th). With it dead, I had no Speedometer, no headlights, no wipers, no interior lights, no power locks, no remote keyless entry, poor shifting, and a host of other things.

It took 4 days to get it fixed, the dealership had to order a replacement BCM from DaimlerChrysler that was specifically tailored for my Jeep.

Thanksfully it was under warranty, I'm guessing a replacement BCM for an out of warranty car is expen$$$ive!

That's harsh! I sometimes wonder about all this high tech stuff on automobiles. I mean, NO HEADLIGHTS?!?! :eek:

[yellow]

I mean, NO HEADLIGHTS?!?! :eek:

Seriously. And no speedometer, and as luck would have it, on my way to the dealership on Monday morning, I had an unmarked cop behind me on the highway. I'm sure it wouldn't have been a problem to get out of a ticket (I didn't get one), but sheesh.

Thankfully brakelights and clinkers worked. And the stereo. :)

[rueyeet]

Some fun excerpts from the c|net article:

Wengert also demonstrated how the in-car speakers could be used to make phone calls, but with less luck: it took him four tries before the computer got the phone number right. Gotta love the obligatory "tech-demo snafu".

Wengert says whether [the iPod] will work on a Windows Automotive system is a "question for Apple." The question being, of course, if Apple will sell out to Microsoft and adopt WMA.

Windows Automotive, by the way, does not share a network with the low-level systems of a vehicle--so a software crash won't result in, say, brake failure. Well, there's one relief.

[wdlove]

Well if it is just accessories then we still have a choice. Have no interest in a navigation system or entertainment center.

[rainman::|:|]

i agree with the whole computers-in-cars suck thing... my car is one of the first with an onboard computer module that simply interprets a sensor network and makes decisions accordingly... so far, all it's done for me is cost money. They charge a fee to read the error output messages (can only be done with proprietary Chevy computer hookup) even if I already know what the problem is... plus, failures in the sensor network cause huge problems, i had a defective temperature sensor somewhere in my engine that would report temps WAY too high, so the computer would disable the engine by cutting fuel while you're driving. Which created quite a mystery the first time it happened. 33 sensors that fail more often than the parts they're monitoring.

admittedly this is an early attempt, but i still think the technology isn't there to have a computer totally run your car. Of course, with the advent of electric/hybrid cars, computers become a necessity, and do have a lot of benefits. so long as windows isn't running it.

paul

[slooksterPSV]

"Excuse me sir, I can't get my car to start, nothing works whats wrong with it?"
Guy looks at it... "oh you have windows integrated into it. Lets see... its the primary function of this vehicle"
"Well... whats wrong with it?"
"The OS seems to have crashed... we're not trained in this sort of field... You're going to have to purchase a new car"
"But my husband said it was probably just a broken window. I don't see any cracks"
"He's talking about Windows - Microsofts windows. Yeah its broke alright, but until we know what we're doing here, just purchase a new car"
-----------------
How could this have been avoided? Not using Windows.

[yellow]

How would I do Ctl-Alt-Del on my car for the task manager?

Horn-hazard-gas?
Radio-wipers-highbeam?

[VIREBEL661]

NOOOOO WAAAAYYY would I purchase a car that ran freakin' windoze for the electronic systems!

I believe proprietary embedded systems are the way to go for this kind of technology (and preferably a totally solid state solution - no hard drives, etc.). It would be a real drag to have to narrow your focus on what car to buy because a certain manufaturer decides to go with ms or whatever. Imagine them pulling their monopoly tricks with your CAR. Can't play certain cd's - and it'll register remotely what cd's you were playing, or worse, your total driving habits - speed etc.... I know there's already this kind of thing going on with some rental car companies - just really scary. Another step closer to a capitalist police state - m$'s ultimate goal - to be in charge of it all...

[5300cs]

Gee, but if I build the car myself then it'll be stable, right? :rolleyes:

[munkle]

How would I do Ctl-Alt-Del on my car for the task manager?

Horn-hazard-gas?
Radio-wipers-highbeam?

Thanks yellow, that cracked me up! :p

[kiwi-in-uk]

So ...
What happens to the car as the registry deteriorates?
Does the car slow down?
Does it become less stable on the road?

Do we get pop-up ads on the speedo?

[jrober]

Reminds me of an old joke.

Three engineers in a car going down a road when the car stops dead. Immediatly the mechanical engineer says it must be the gearbox. The electricial engineer says nonsense it is the battery, and the software engineer says lets all get out of the car then get back in again and it'll work!

[Abstract]

Ah geez, that picture of the Windows crash in front of the Toronto Eaton Centre makes me homesick. :(

Anyway, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. There was nothing wrong with the way speedometres have worked for the last 80+ years, so I don't think we really need an electronic replacement just for the sake of making it electronic. This offers no benefit.

A few years ago, when i found out that they wanted to put in an electronic braking system that didn't use a brake pedal, but a brake pad that read the pressure underneath your feet, I thought, "Hmmmm, bad idea." Very rarely have I ever read about a brake line severed. An electronic braking system is just more likely to cause accidents.

And I want a Mac version, please. Maybe BMW can adopt a Mac version, as they already swim in the same pool with the iPod and all. Plus, both companies sell class products.

[iMeowbot]

Anyway, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. There was nothing wrong with the way speedometres have worked for the last 80+ years, so I don't think we really need an electronic replacement just for the sake of making it electronic. This offers no benefit.
It grows out of the whole emission control thing. By comparing the engine speed, transmission and rotation at the wheels, the software can figure out if any of those aren't transmitting power correctly. Air bags, traction control, braking all feed into this type of information too. It could be worse, it could all be controlled by rat neurons :p