11-05-2004, 12:00 AM
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Swami
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,303
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Windows CE = Car Edition?
Before I start this next post, I would like to make clear that any humorous response referring to 'crash' or similar excess jocularity, will probably result in hordes of moths attacking your monitor. There is a precedent here, so you've been warned. ;-) On with the post:
"Microsoft wants your next car or SUV to run Windows. It's no joke. The world's largest software company is revving up to position itself as the largest supplier of software to car manufacturers, with a custom version of Windows CE controlling everything from in-vehicle entertainment to satellite navigation."
To be precise, the custom version of Windows CE is called Windows Automotive. The News.com made me smile by describing the cars of the future as GPS-tracked living rooms on wheels. Apparently General Motors say that software and electronics are already responsible for more than one-third of the cost of a typical car, with IBM predicting that the figure will be closer to 90 percent in five years time. And all you nervous passengers needn't worry, Windows Automotive does not share a network with the safety critical systems of the vehicle, so a software crash won't result in brake failure etc. Just watch out for those moths!
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11-05-2004, 12:12 AM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 555
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Wow. Well I know Windows had an Auto PC that seems pretty dead by now (Link -- note last update is 1998). But operating the nitty gritty of the car? That's a new one.
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11-05-2004, 12:14 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 355
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Reminds me of a joke.....
After their flight was cancelled, three strangers discovered they were all going to the same place, and decided to share a ride. Unfortunately, on the way, their rental car died.
The driver pronounced that he was a mechanical engineer, and that the problem was probably in the engine somewhere, so he raised the hood, and quickly started checking things out. The second person indicated that he was a chemical engineer, and that the problem was most likely in the fuel system, so he pulled off his jacket, and quickly started pulling off fuel lines.
After a quiet moment, the third person suggested that they close all the windows on the car, and then open them back up again to see if that would help resolve their problem. After a few baffled looks, the other two asked what he did for a living......."Microsoft engineer!"
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11-05-2004, 12:22 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 62
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hopefully the gas indicator will be more reliable than the alarms on my ppc...
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11-05-2004, 01:31 AM
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2000 Posts And This is All I Get?
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,017
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So there is going to be more options when buying a car :
Lancer Evolution X - with Windows Automotive 2007
Lancer Evolution Xse - with Windows Automotive 2007 Second Edition
Nissan 350Z - with Windows Automotive 2006 Third Edition
Nissan 350Z SE - with Windows Automotive 2007 Second Edition
Cool. Do they have VGA screen ? :mrgreen:
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11-05-2004, 01:59 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 113
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heh
what happens if you get a bluescreen when driving down the highway at 70mph? Do you pull over and restart/reboot/softreset the car? :bad-words:
oops..I forgot..I'm not on slashdot.org right now.
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11-05-2004, 02:22 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 135
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I wonder how many times we see Windows CE and don't know it? Every time I get gas for my car I wonder if CE is running the gas pump? I guess that any time I see a video screen (the ATM, gas pump, display at Best Buy... you get the picture.) I wonder if Microsoft is behind the screen. I don't know if ubiquity reigns, but some days I wonder...
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11-05-2004, 02:47 AM
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Swami
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,303
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Re: heh
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Originally Posted by nirav28
what happens if you get a bluescreen when driving down the highway at 70mph?
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Embedded software is usually much more stable than 'normal' software because so may parameters and variables can be controlled. Remeber as well, this is for the 'toys' in the car, not the critical safety systems.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by nirav28
oops..I forgot..I'm not on slashdot.org right now.
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:twak: And don't forget it! :wink:
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11-05-2004, 02:54 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 65
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Re: heh
Quote:
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Originally Posted by nirav28
what happens if you get a bluescreen when driving down the highway at 70mph? Do you pull over and restart/reboot/softreset the car? :bad-words:
oops..I forgot..I'm not on slashdot.org right now.
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Yeah...you'll need to do a softreset, but, you'll have to jack the car up, climb under the transmission and reach around to the top of it to get at the reset button. 
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11-05-2004, 03:11 AM
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Swami
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,303
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Re: heh
Quote:
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Originally Posted by crashdau
Yeah...you'll need to do a softreset, but, you'll have to jack the car up, climb under the transmission and reach around to the top of it to get at the reset button. |
Now, now, play nice. I'm sure a reset wont be needed. As Ken Mattern said, there's every chance that you are interacting with plenty of embedded WCE machines without knowing it. This isn't 1996 you know. Things have moved on. :wink:
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Linear Mode
