Leaf touchscreen info hub powered by Microsoft

[dyhopper]

http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/19/windows-embedded-automotive-hits-version-7-powers-nissan-leaf/

Nissan LEAF information hub. Today, Microsoft also announced that the 2011 Nissan LEAF touchscreen information hub is powered by Windows Embedded Automotive technology, providing drivers and passengers with a navigation system and electricity charging station locator. It also shares power consumption monitoring information with drivers, and enables easy in-car climate monitoring.

 

[palmermd]

Wide open for a republish of the old joke...

If Windows were a car


At a recent computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated, "If GM had kept up with the technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25.00 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon."

In response to Bill's comments, General Motors issued a press release stating, "If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics:

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

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

3. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull over to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.

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 "CarNT," but then you would have to buy more seats.
6. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive -- but it would only run on five percent of the roads.

7. The oil, water temperature and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single "general protect ion fault" warning light.

8. The airbag system would ask, "Are you sure?" before deploying.

9. 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 grabbed hold of the antenna.

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

11. Every time GM introduced a new car, car buyers would have to learn to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.

12. You'd have to press the "start" button to turn the engine off.

Sadly #12 is true. Lets hope none of the others are.

 

[mitch672]

Well, luckily, none of that screen information will be needed to make the Leaf run

Of course, good luck finding a charging station, as the embedded windows crashes & burns.

 

[evnow]

http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/19/windows-embedded-automotive-hits-version-7-powers-nissan-leaf/

Nissan LEAF information hub. Today, Microsoft also announced that the 2011 Nissan LEAF touchscreen information hub is powered by Windows Embedded Automotive technology, providing drivers and passengers with a navigation system and electricity charging station locator. It also shares power consumption monitoring information with drivers, and enables easy in-car climate monitoring.

That is interesting. Notwithstanding old cliches - Ford Focus is credited with having one of the best displays and IT systems in a car.

Text to speech would be great ...

 

[garygid]

Has anybody discovered voice-command input (on the LEAF)?

 

[Gonewild]

I wish this Nissan leaf had sync and voice command like Ford

 

[EVDRIVER]

Great, they had to sour the leaf with Microsoft. I make it a policy to not support their products and have nothing with Microsoft OS at all. Yuck.

 

[greenleaf]

Wide open for a republish of the old joke...

If Windows were a car


At a recent computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated, "If GM had kept up with the technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25.00 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon."

In response to Bill's comments, General Motors issued a press release stating, "If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics:

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

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

3. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull over to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.

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 "CarNT," but then you would have to buy more seats.
6. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive -- but it would only run on five percent of the roads.

7. The oil, water temperature and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single "general protect ion fault" warning light.

8. The airbag system would ask, "Are you sure?" before deploying.

9. 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 grabbed hold of the antenna.

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

11. Every time GM introduced a new car, car buyers would have to learn to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.

12. You'd have to press the "start" button to turn the engine off.

Sadly #12 is true. Lets hope none of the others are.

But at least Micro$oft is paying taxes and does not need bailouts like GM.

 

[Clippy]

That USB port(s?) just became a lot more interesting.

 

[evnow]

That USB port(s?) just became a lot more interesting.

Yes. Does it support Microsoft devices ?

 

[tps]

That USB port(s?) just became a lot more interesting.

A LOT more dangerous, IMHO. With the reputation MS has earned over the years for lax security, does MS software belong anywhere near a device which is permanently connected to the vehicle's CAN buss? How long will it be until we see a trojan which enters the car through the USB, then via the CAN buss and disrupts safety-critical systems... I take some comfort from the fact that the LEAF will initially be produced in relatively low quatities; there are much larger targets already out there.

 

[Clippy]

Yes. Does it support Microsoft devices ?

I was thing more along the lines of external HDD's and maybe a software enabled mobile wifi (bring your own usb wifi adapter!) like Ford's doing with Sync, but whatever.

Great, they had to sour the leaf with Microsoft. I make it a policy to not support their products and have nothing with Microsoft OS at all. Yuck.

A LOT more dangerous, IMHO. With the reputation MS has earned over the years for lax security, does MS software belong anywhere near a device which is permanently connected to the vehicle's CAN buss? How long will it be until we see a trojan which enters the car through the USB, then via the CAN buss and disrupts safety-critical systems... I take some comfort from the fact that the LEAF will initially be produced in relatively low quatities; there are much larger targets already out there.

Sometimes this forum makes me cry. Sad clippy is sad. I'm going to go plug in my charger now.

 

[johnr]

Oh noes!!!

 

[evnow]

I was thing more along the lines of external HDD's and maybe a software enabled mobile wifi (bring your own usb wifi adapter!) like Ford's doing with Sync, but whatever.

HDD, probably (no different from USB drives ?). Wi-Fi ... I don't think so. Windows embedded I think is very different from the desktop software.

 

[sjfotos]

I have spent considerable time avoiding all Microsoft products wherever they are not the SOLE solution. Unfortunately, some applications only run on MS junkware. I have to say I am very disappointed they have used any Microsoft code, but it seems to be only accessory type functions. Fortunately.

 

[evnow]

I have spent considerable time avoiding all Microsoft products wherever they are not the SOLE solution.

I used to be that way too - as an early Unix & C programmer. But my interest in Home Theatre PCs meant I had to use Windows at home starting some 10 years back.

I've not had my pc crash in years ... but my oracle and other 3rd party s/w crash quite often. Ofcourse I've had to use Windows in office too. Now I wonder why someone's PC would crash at all ....

BTW, as a geek obviously I want to build my own PCs - so no macs.

 

[DaveEV]

I used to be that way too - as an early Unix & C programmer. But my interest in Home Theatre PCs meant I had to use Windows at home starting some 10 years back.

Have you looked at MythTV? I use it - it's great!

 

[tps]

I believe this link, which I found in the "Engineering" section of this forum, should be mentioned in this thread. This paper focuses on what a potential avdversary could do given access to the vehicle's CAN buss.

http://www.autosec.org/pubs/cars-oakland2010.pdf

 

[mwalsh]

I've not had my pc crash in years ... but my oracle and other 3rd party s/w crash quite often. Ofcourse I've had to use Windows in office too. Now I wonder why someone's PC would crash at all .....

Most of the ones I've seen in recent years have been hardware related. I haven't seen a software related BSOD in years. However, saying that, I actually seem to have one in the office right now, where the user claims it's been BSOD'ing about three times a day for the past week (though it's yet to do so for me). The hardware all checks out as good, but I haven't checked for OS and software issues yet beyond running CHKDSK and asking the user to Defrag.

 

[garygid]

If not associated with running a particular application, perhaps:
Disconnect most everything "extra" and Check memory.
Easiest way, put in new memory strip(s). They are cheap ...
and most Memory Tests are slow and not 100% inclusive or totally accurate.
(But, you already know that, I presume.)