Siemens VDO and Microsoft just announced a deal to co-develop in-car entertainment systems and navigation products. The companies will initially develop a multi-media platform to more easily integrate mobile phones and music players into automotive systems. The first products based on the Microsoft Auto Platform are expected in 2009. Now go ahead dear readers, leave us your obligatory BSOD, car crashing jokes in the comments below, mercy not required.

Siemens VDO -- the same in-car gurus that brought us the oh-so-snazzy eCorner contraption -- is back at it again in an attempt to jazz up the plainly styled dashboards that we've (begrudgingly) grown accustomed to. While adaptive cruise control has become somewhat commonplace in higher-end automobiles, that technology simply keeps you from resetting your speed every time the cabbie in front of you eases on and off the accelerator; Siemens' traffic sign recognition system boasts a camera attached to an internal computer which automatically recognizes common road signs and displays an alert in the driver's heads-up display. Not only will the driver see a digital rendition of the sign without taking his / her eyes too far off the road, but he / she will have the option of enabling the vehicle to dynamically adapt to changes in speed limits, theoretically eliminating any previously valid excuse you could give the boys in blue once pulled over. While we're sure those speed freaks will happily turn down this convenience on their next car purchase, those of us who need all the help we can get in taming that lead foot (and skyrocketing insurance premiums) can look for this speed-dictating option in 2008.

[Via The Raw Feed]