14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft used the BUILD 2014 developer conference in San Francisco to present a completely new technology that would basically bring its Windows operating system into cars and allow drivers to control a number of tools from the vehicle’s infotainment system.
A video session posted on Channel 9 shows an overview of the system, which seems to be completely optimized for the touch and thus based on Microsoft’s Metro user interface already available on Windows 8 and Windows RT.
The new system is currently in development stage and Microsoft says that it’s just a prototype, but it still provides us with a short glimpse into a potential feature lineup of such a new concept. Basically, the new technology would allow drivers to connect their Windows devices, such as tablets and smartphones, to the vehicles’ infotainment features using the Mirrorlink connectivity standard.
As The Verge is reporting, Mirrorlink is already being used by a number of car manufacturers, including Volkswagen, Honda, Toyota and Citroen, so Microsoft could easily find some partners that could adopt the new technology.
At the same time, Nokia is also one of the first adopters of Mirrorlink and, given the deal between the Finnish mobile phone maker and Microsoft, support for this connectivity option would be easily integrated into new smartphones.
One of the main features of Microsoft’s new system, which doesn’t yet have a name, would be an app store that would enable drivers to download and install applications which can then be used on the car’s infotainment system. Touch support is obviously a key feature of the whole concept, so drivers and passengers would be allowed to easily navigate through menus and main options.
The default apps would include radio, maps, and other connectivity options to quickly access content stored on your phone and play music files remotely on the car’s speakers.
The new concept is still in development stage and if you decide to watch the aforementioned video, you will see that it even crashed during the official demo shown at BUILD.
Microsoft hasn’t provided any other details regarding a potential release date for the new technology, but it’s pretty clear that Redmond is very serious about getting Windows beyond the desktop more than ever, so bringing it in your car is the next big step. At the same time, Microsoft is also trying to keep up with rivals, so given that Apple’s CarPlay is currently in a more advanced development stage, the software giant needs to speed up work on its own concept as much as possible.
