FIAT goes hi-fi : ties up with Microsoft

hasopi · 21st October 2004, 21:01

Starting with its 2005 models that go on sale in a few months, Fiat will offer Microsoft's hands-free technology as an option on 23 models. (Fiat sells cars under the Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo and Ferrari brands.)

rest here :
http://news.com.com/Taking+....I]

amit · 22nd October 2004, 00:50

That link didn't work for me.
Any kind of hi tech stuff is good but then i m sure none of those 23 models will be Indian ones so i guess this news shouldn't concern us. Too bad for us!

shravan316 · 22nd October 2004, 00:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (amit @ Oct. 21 2004,23:20)]That link didn't work for me.

It didn't work for me either..... must be some problem!

SLK · 22nd October 2004, 03:03

hasopi.. i think u inserted some.. extra chars in the link...
now this should work
Click on the icon!

Dovin · 23rd October 2004, 19:58

given the reliability of windows this should be the final nail in Fiat's coffin.. for all their other problems, their cars are usually reliable.. till now!! Imagine trying to overtake in traffic and BOOM the blue screen of death

anyone for embedded linux in cars ??

faraz · 24th October 2004, 08:50

just imagine that you need to slam the brakes urgently.... and you get the message, your system has performed an illegal operation...... / or suddenly your car becomes irresponsive ..

I wouldnt be so sure that I would like to drive a M$ os emebeded car. It may have a sleek interface and hundreds of features, but i would prefer something that has not so sleek interface, less features, but performs when/what it is required to do.

Just my $ 0.02

GTO · 24th October 2004, 18:36

Likewise Faraz. I dont like electronics in my cars.

GTO

X-Machine · 25th October 2004, 05:54

Fiat has lost it for sure.I mean Microsoft?

Press the 'start' button to mobilise the engine,'f1' for the first gear,'f2' for the second etc etc 'space bar' for brakes,and finally 'ctrl alt del' to autolock ur car.

Eeks,wot kinda car is that gonna be.....we are sure in for a disaster if this comes to India.

X

manticore · 27th October 2004, 01:39

Whoa! Now we'll have to start worrying about hackers trying to take control of our cars too. Most probably, it'll also have a sneaky system whereby guys at Micosoft can have a peep into what you do/say (eeks!!) in your car. And sorry MS, I dont want to chat with my pals while driving, neither do I want a Media Player with wheels !!

RJK · 27th October 2004, 02:12

Perfect receipe for disaster !

satish_appasani · 27th October 2004, 13:26

MS may show blue screens in the middle of important tasks, you may have to click "Start" to shut down, it may be prone to hackers....But still MS stands on top of the all and continues to be there.

BTW, we need not worry about getting faliure errors when braking because MS clearly stated that they are not concentrating on low-level systems of the car. The will be concentrating more on entertainment, communication with out side world and convenience. If they stop working, still we keep driving as we do now without the extra goodies.

For Indians, it may be a added luxury but for Americans, it's more of a convneience. If they can't communicate when travelling, they may miss millions of dollars. Infact my manager used to attend most of the meetings from his car. I defnetely believe MS will improve tasks like these. Probably now he can start sending fax from his car.

MS Windows may have lots of problems, but how many households would have gone for PC if windows was not there. MS always keep improving. How many of you have seen blue screens in Windows XP? Talking about Linux would be good on paper because it is open source and is free. But once you have it in your car, who is going to support it? I had my own probs with open source. We almost lost a client because the open system they opted for is not performing well and the manufacturers don't support it.

See what is happening to Windows CE. In 2000-2001, it's no where closer to Palm OS and look at the situation now, most of the Palm OS users are moving to Windows PDAs. MS may be expensive but you get what you pay for.

I am looking for the day where I can have my mileage looger on my car CPU, can send MP3 files from my PC at home to my car wirelessly, build my own applications I want to use on my car, add my stock alerts to my car's computer.

Long way to go Microsoft.

amit · 12th February 2007, 13:11

The Grande Punto has been given the new Fiat-Microsoft Blue&me system.

Quote:

The system known as Blue&Me, can control the car’s audio system via voice, acts as a handsfree kit for your mobile via Bluetooth, can read out SMS messages out loud and even allows you to listen to music stored on a mobile phone, MP3 readers or USB removable sticks.

For more on Blue&me: Story link.

In related news, Fiat will start trials of steering mounted buttons for the Blue&me system. These new buttons include start and Esc keys similar to the ones we see on our computers!

Full Story: Fiat upgrades Blue&me System with new steering mounted buttons.

RX135 · 12th February 2007, 13:19

I sincerely hope that, Fiat has learnt the lessons from electronic gremlins faced by German car manufacturers.

21st October 2004, 21:01	#1
hasopi BANNED Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 177 Thanked: 0 Times	Starting with its 2005 models that go on sale in a few months, Fiat will offer Microsoft's hands-free technology as an option on 23 models. (Fiat sells cars under the Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo and Ferrari brands.) rest here : http://news.com.com/Taking+....I]
	() Thanks

22nd October 2004, 00:50	#2
amit Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 3,717 Thanked: 449 Times	That link didn't work for me. Any kind of hi tech stuff is good but then i m sure none of those 23 models will be Indian ones so i guess this news shouldn't concern us. Too bad for us!
	() Thanks

22nd October 2004, 03:03	#4
SLK Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: DL XX XX XXXX Posts: 1,634 Thanked: 1,011 Times	hasopi.. i think u inserted some.. extra chars in the link... now this should work Click on the icon!
	() Thanks

23rd October 2004, 19:58	#5
Dovin BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 29 Thanked: 2 Times	given the reliability of windows this should be the final nail in Fiat's coffin.. for all their other problems, their cars are usually reliable.. till now!! Imagine trying to overtake in traffic and BOOM the blue screen of death anyone for embedded linux in cars ??
	() Thanks

24th October 2004, 08:50	#6
faraz BHPian Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 65 Thanked: 5 Times	just imagine that you need to slam the brakes urgently.... and you get the message, your system has performed an illegal operation...... / or suddenly your car becomes irresponsive .. I wouldnt be so sure that I would like to drive a M$ os emebeded car. It may have a sleek interface and hundreds of features, but i would prefer something that has not so sleek interface, less features, but performs when/what it is required to do. Just my $ 0.02
	() Thanks

24th October 2004, 18:36	#7
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 70,530 Thanked: 300,729 Times View My Garage	Likewise Faraz. I dont like electronics in my cars. GTO
	() Thanks

25th October 2004, 05:54	#8
X-Machine Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Mumbai/Tokyo Posts: 1,475 Thanked: 29 Times	Fiat has lost it for sure.I mean Microsoft? Press the 'start' button to mobilise the engine,'f1' for the first gear,'f2' for the second etc etc 'space bar' for brakes,and finally 'ctrl alt del' to autolock ur car. Eeks,wot kinda car is that gonna be.....we are sure in for a disaster if this comes to India. X
	() Thanks

27th October 2004, 01:39	#9
manticore BHPian Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Cochin/New Delhi Posts: 298 Thanked: 8 Times	Whoa! Now we'll have to start worrying about hackers trying to take control of our cars too. Most probably, it'll also have a sneaky system whereby guys at Micosoft can have a peep into what you do/say (eeks!!) in your car. And sorry MS, I dont want to chat with my pals while driving, neither do I want a Media Player with wheels !!
	() Thanks

27th October 2004, 02:12	#10
RJK Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,140 Thanked: 701 Times	Perfect receipe for disaster !
	() Thanks

27th October 2004, 13:26	#11
satish_appasani Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 1,112 Thanked: 104 Times View My Garage	MS may show blue screens in the middle of important tasks, you may have to click "Start" to shut down, it may be prone to hackers....But still MS stands on top of the all and continues to be there. BTW, we need not worry about getting faliure errors when braking because MS clearly stated that they are not concentrating on low-level systems of the car. The will be concentrating more on entertainment, communication with out side world and convenience. If they stop working, still we keep driving as we do now without the extra goodies. For Indians, it may be a added luxury but for Americans, it's more of a convneience. If they can't communicate when travelling, they may miss millions of dollars. Infact my manager used to attend most of the meetings from his car. I defnetely believe MS will improve tasks like these. Probably now he can start sending fax from his car. MS Windows may have lots of problems, but how many households would have gone for PC if windows was not there. MS always keep improving. How many of you have seen blue screens in Windows XP? Talking about Linux would be good on paper because it is open source and is free. But once you have it in your car, who is going to support it? I had my own probs with open source. We almost lost a client because the open system they opted for is not performing well and the manufacturers don't support it. See what is happening to Windows CE. In 2000-2001, it's no where closer to Palm OS and look at the situation now, most of the Palm OS users are moving to Windows PDAs. MS may be expensive but you get what you pay for. I am looking for the day where I can have my mileage looger on my car CPU, can send MP3 files from my PC at home to my car wirelessly, build my own applications I want to use on my car, add my stock alerts to my car's computer. Long way to go Microsoft.
	() Thanks

12th February 2007, 13:19	#13
RX135 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: pune Posts: 2,106 Thanked: 75 Times	I sincerely hope that, Fiat has learnt the lessons from electronic gremlins faced by German car manufacturers.
	() Thanks