During CES 2008 in Las Vegas, Microsoft and Ford demonstrated the Ford Sync technology (built on Microsoft Windows Automotive) which is starting to appear in certain Ford models. Ford Sync is a technology that allows you to easily integrate your mobile phone and music player with your car and operate those devices from easy controls on your steering wheel. In combination with speech recognition and text-to-speech for playback of text messages: this is a compelling experience for many consumers.
While I’m on the other hand is more a gadget and techno-freak that likes to stay and live on the edge of what is possible to do with the current technologies. As a programmer I’m able to realize the concepts and ideas that I envision in my head – but all to often it takes to much time and effort to build the software that is required to achieve the functionality that I envision. Therefor I have high hopes for the big software and manufacturing industry to go forth and innovate.
Let’s introduce you to the concept of Ford Sync by watching one of their funny TV commercials:
And here is a video that demonstrates some of the features of Ford Sync:
I can’t help to feel a bit unimpressed by this Ford Sync. It has been done before and it’s been possible for quite a while to do something like this, even in big productions for a wide array of consumers.
Why this isn’t standard equipment in most cars today is poor, but kudos to Microsoft and Ford for going a step in the right direction.
Change and innovations is today happening faster than ever before and it’s increasingly getting harder to develop good quality software that is the foundation of every product and service that we as consumers experience and pay for. Our demands for quality and improvement is continuously increasing as we recognize what is possible.
Remember the old TV series, Knight Rider starring David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight? He drove around in a high-tech car named KITT, which had artificial intelligence that helped Michael Knight in his quests for helping the good guys against the bad guys. The technology that was envisioned in this TV series was not possible back in 1982 until 1986 when it was aired.
Today the game is a little different: Knight Rider is launching as a new TV series with new cast, including an upgraded 2008 Mustang Shelby GT! I’m feeling like a kid again as I’m waiting for this show to air and from a technology perspective I’m hoping that feature in the new KITT will inspire car manufacturers to think beyond their limits and deliver us truly intelligent and smart solutions.
(View more photos of KITT on the AutoBlog)
Have a look at the introduction of the cars that will feature in the series:
So to end of this blog post, here are some of my ideas for car manufactures (and Windows Automotive) to start developing and deliver:
HUD – projection of information from the dashboard onto the car front window. Some manufacturers are already doing this.
LCD – Touch monitor as oppose to low-resolution LED (as in Ford Sync), which can then display anything you can imagine.
PC – add a full x64 PC into the car! (Vista Sideshow/Vista Gadgets) (think Automotive Gadgets!)
Wi-Fi – Make the car a Wi-Fi gateway/router and make my car automatically synchronize with my Windows Home Server every time it’s connected to a Wi-Fi access point. This way, when I connect my Zune to the car, it’s not the Zune that syncs with the car, but the car that updates media library on the Zune!
Cameras – Add at minimum a front and rear view camera with monitors on the dash, allowing me to always have a good and clear view of the rear when backing and parking. Make sure the cameras have night-shoot so you can view people and objects in the darkness as well.
Image Pattern Recognition – When you’re driving the front view camera should automatically recognize road-signs and display them on your HUD. Then you always know what signs is currently active on the stretch of road you are driving on. Then you won’t hear the excuse: “Oh officers … I know I was driving a bit fast, cause I thought the speed limit was 80, not 60 mph…”. It should recognize license plates of your friends, colleagues and family for ad-hoc chats over wireless communication between cars and exchange of information.
GPS – Obviously every car should have GPS for maps, directions, driving and mileage reporting. Let me use the GPS to tell my car what is where: It should know when it’s parked at work or at home.
Calendar/Tasks – I should be able to ask my computer to tell me and update my calendar and tasks while driving, when anyone invites me to a meeting while I’m out driving, I should know about it and be able to respond to the event. The car should tell me that I’m having a meeting in 30 minutes and that I’m 40 minutes away…
Personal A.I. Assistant – Your artificial assistant that helps you out at work should obviously be “morphed” into the cars computer when you’re going from office to car, and from car to your home.