The New Renault Laguna Is Powered by Silverlight 2.0

It will still be some time before Microsoft's cross-browser, cross-platform, and cross-device plug-in is able "to power" automobiles but not the same can be said about web-based automotive experiences. In fact, the latest version of Silverlight 2.0, namely Beta 2, released during the first week of June 2008, was used to build the presentation website for the new Renault Laguna coupe. This is the first time that the Redmond company's second-generation Silverlight technology is deployed on a car-maker's website.

The Microsoft and Renault partnership comes to emphasize the concomitant availability of both the Laguna Coup� and Silverlight 2.0 Beta 2. "On this innovative partnership with Renault, we worked together to explore how new web technologies could revolutionise the customer's virtual interaction with the new Laguna Coup�," revealed Marc Jalabert, director of the Platform & Ecosystem Division for Microsoft France.

The Silverlight-based Renault Laguna website is illustrative proof that Microsoft's Adobe Flash killer lives up to the promise of enabling the next generation of online media experiences and delivering rich interactive solutions for the Web. The winning combination for Microsoft is the bundle of Silverlight 2 Beta 2 with Deep Zoom. The Deep Zoom Composer was dropped alongside Silverlight 2 Beta 2 and offers a unique way to view high-resolution images and videos online, with powerful zooming capabilities but without a penalty in terms of performance.

This is the case when it comes to the new online hotspot for the new Renault Laguna Coup�. "The Renault Laguna Coup� is an exceptional car with a time-proof design that holds immense appeal to motor connoisseurs. Consistent with the connoisseur's appreciation for superlative automotive design, Renault decided to use a web technology that would enable site visitors to admire the car in great detail," commented Stephen Norman, Renault Group global marketing director.

Deep Zoom Composer is available for download here.

Download Silverlight 2 Beta 2 from Softpedia:

- Microsoft Silverlight 2.0.30523.6 Beta 2
- Microsoft Silverlight 2.0.30523.6 SDK Beta 2
- Microsoft Silverlight Tools Beta 2 for Visual Studio 2008 2.0
- Microsoft Expression Blend 2.5 June 2008 Preview.