Microsoft-powered Fiats to debut in Geneva

Microsoft's deal to equip all of Fiat's new vehicles with Windows Automotive is starting to bear fruit: The first Windows-powered Fiats are due to debut at the Geneva Auto Show later this month. The system, now known as Blue&Me, will initially control the car's audio system, and will allow drivers to access Bluetooth cellphones via the car's audio system, control the audio via voice commands and steering wheel-mounted controls, and have text messages read to them by the car's computer. A glove compartment USB port will allow the audio system to be expanded using any mass-storage compliant device. Future upgrades to the system will include GPS control and weather and traffic-monitoring systems. We assume that any upgrade that will put Windows in the driver's seat is, however, a very long way away.

[Ben @ Feb 2nd 2006 1:31PM]

What happens if it BSOD while driving? Does the car explode?

On to another point ... if rear ended will it BSOD?

[johnz @ Feb 2nd 2006 1:34PM]

A whole new meaning to the phrase "Windows crashed"

[benj @ Feb 2nd 2006 1:34PM]

Brings a whole new meaning to the word 'Crash'


I can just imagine it...

GuyA:Ah shit, BSD'd on me again
GuyB:I know its a clear day...but its the sky man
GuyA:Oh

[surge @ Feb 2nd 2006 1:35PM]

crtlaltdel ur car if it revs but goes no where

[K @ Feb 2nd 2006 1:36PM]

If setup properly after a BSOD the car will just reboot...

[doyouflip @ Feb 2nd 2006 1:39PM]

Dang, pair this with the autopilot thing you guys wrote about the other day and you have a sure fire recipe for me staying off the road.

[TIMMAH! @ Feb 2nd 2006 1:39PM]

Wow, yet another reason for a Fiat to be in the shop. I guess we should also look to put it in MGs and Maserati's as well...

[JL @ Feb 2nd 2006 1:46PM]

Fiat's reputation in the US was so bad that " FIAT" used to stand for Fix It Again Tomorrow ! Now with M$ involved, may be Fiat should change its name to " RIAT": Reboot it again Tony!!

[Josh @ Feb 2nd 2006 1:46PM]

"Are you sure you want your airbag to deploy? y/n:"

[Andrew @ Feb 2nd 2006 1:48PM]

C'mon? No joke about how crashing your computer will crash your car?

[Jghuman @ Feb 2nd 2006 1:48PM]

Microsoft software has been used in cars all the way back to 2002. The BMW 7 series used it (http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2002/Mar02/03-04BMWpr.mspx) Not big news...

[Bob Dole @ Feb 2nd 2006 1:49PM]

hate to join the crappy joke club . . .
oh well

The system, now known as Blue&Me.

hahaha
/not really funny.
//shutup

[Jonny @ Feb 2nd 2006 1:50PM]

Oh hey guys look a BSOD joke, I am original and in-touch with tech humour.

[yup @ Feb 2nd 2006 2:02PM]

Armageddon will soon be upon us; cars now bear the mark of the beast: 'Powered by Windows'

[z @ Feb 2nd 2006 2:03PM]

I love some of Fiat's designs, but well, the solidity and reliability of these are not quite that yet... and now they will have Microsoft inside... I guess the germans and the japanese don't really have anything to be scared of for the years to come...

[DAN @ Feb 2nd 2006 2:05PM]

just one of many, many sets out there...

If Microsoft Made Cars:

1. For no reason whatsoever your car would crash twice a day.

2. Every time they repainted the lines on the road you would have to buy a new car.

3. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason, and you would just accept this, restart and drive on.

4. Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn, would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.

5. Only one person at a time could use the car, unless you bought "Car95" or "CarNT." But then you would have to buy more seats.

6. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, reliable, five times as fast, and twice as easy to drive, but would only run on five per cent of the roads.

7. The oil, water temperature and alternator warning lights would be replaced by a single "general car default" warning light.

8. New seats would force everyone to have the same size butt.

9. The airbag system would say "Are you sure?" before going off.

10. Occasionally for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key, and grab hold of the radio antenna.

11. MS would require all car buyers to also purchase a deluxe set of Rand McNally road maps (now a MS subsidiary), even though they neither need them nor want them. Attempting to delete this option would immediately cause the car's performance to diminish by 50% or more. Moreover, MS would become a target for investigation by the Justice Department.

12. Everytime MS introduced a new model car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.

13. You'd press the "start" button to shut off the engine.

[macona @ Feb 2nd 2006 2:40PM]

This brings a whole new meaning to "Blue screen of DEATH"

Fiat: Feable Italian Attempt at Transportation

[Marek @ Feb 2nd 2006 3:06PM]

WRONG: First car with WINDOWS was actually BMW 7! Some years ago, all 7s was equipeed with Windows CE which controlled almost everything in that car... And YES, it was hanging (like it locked all doors etc. in the middle of the street). There were updates for this, but you couldn't just download it from Windows Update... you had to get back to your BMW dealer... :D

[Reytacular @ Feb 2nd 2006 3:07PM]

Is it iPod compatible?

[Mike @ Feb 2nd 2006 3:38PM]

Thank god this isnt in the United States. We already have enough crazy drivers, don't need any more cars crashing.

[TJM @ Feb 2nd 2006 4:05PM]

Shame the picture is of an out of date version. Is that because it's taken MS this long to come up with working software??

[yelohbird @ Feb 2nd 2006 4:08PM]

-- Analysts predict that the system, now known as Blue&Me, will eventually be better known to the general public as BSOD&Me...

[DJ @ Feb 2nd 2006 4:55PM]

Hmmmm, which is more reliable...an Italian built economy car or Microsoft Windows???? Pondering that question alone could crash every computer in the world....

[3rdsun @ Feb 2nd 2006 7:23PM]

yall so corny it makes me laugh. bsod jokes are as stale as rye bread. #16 has some real serious issues... you need help bro. your windows systems crash because u put too much garbage on there if u had genuine hardware and software chances are it wouldnt happen. this is only the first, maybe second attempt to for an auto mobile windows system, there likely may be more on the way

[worai @ Feb 2nd 2006 7:25PM]

"Microsoft software has been used in cars all the way back to 2002. The BMW 7 series used it..."

So~ that explains all those computer problems on BMWs
(http://discuss.fogcreek.com/joelonsoftware2/default.asp?cmd=show&ixPost=43493"Microsoft software has been used in cars all the way back to 2002. The BMW 7 series used it..."

So~ that explains all those computer problems on BMWs
(http://discuss.fogcreek.com/joelonsoftware2/default.asp?cmd=show&ixPost=43493)

[Kichwa @ Feb 2nd 2006 11:01PM]

While driving, this message will randomly appear on the winshield:
Error! strwhldrv.dll has encountered a critical error and must close.

Then while the driver panics because he/she can't see outside the windshield, they hurry up and press "ok". Then, immediately after that, they see:

Error! StrWhlDrv.exe is missing a critical component and can no longer run properly. The following programs may or may not function correctly:

Steering Wheel

[Glifford @ Feb 3rd 2006 3:41AM]

C'mon! FIAT does make nice, solid, beautiful and well built cars! And remember they also own Ferrari, Lancia, Maserati, Alfa Romeo and Iveco. The most beautiful car in the world belongs to them.

Lets hope windows provides more driver convenience.

[flatsix @ Feb 3rd 2006 5:16AM]

"13. You'd press the "start" button to shut off the engine."

That's how it works on a Lexus and probably just about every other car with a 'Start' button.

[Roche @ Feb 3rd 2006 1:11PM]

This would probably give a new meaning to "driver issues."

[AnnDee4444 @ Feb 3rd 2006 4:24PM]

i'd hack it and run linux

[eldberg @ Feb 6th 2006 9:31AM]

an old joke: if MS is to make something that does not break it will be cars...

as to say: now i have seen everything :D