Enhance the vehicle experience with innovative automotive technologies
Windows Embedded Automotive is a company that has been in the automotive industry for more than 15 years. It has enabled vehicle-based information systems to let drivers control their mobile phones, car stereos, and other devices using voice commands. Since then, consumers have come to expect the ability to access and share data while driving. The AM radio, road atlas, and other driving aids have been replaced by entertainment, navigation, and communications services.
In-car entertainment systems are one of the most popular selling points in the auto industry. They are helping to create the “connected car” by allowing drivers to listen to texts, access social media, get driving directions, and much more without having to take their hands or eyes off the road. Windows Embedded describes the connected car as an intelligent system.
Windows Embedded Automotive 7 features state-of-the-art hands-free phone controls, including calendar and address book downloads with simple pairing.
SMS Reply is a new feature in Windows Embedded Automotive 7. The system will match the driver’s voice to the stored message, such as “Running Late” or “See You in 10 Minutes.”
The support for media devices such as iPod and Zune has been upgraded and improved, including iPhone/iPod touch Firmware 3.x, Bluetooth 2.1, and the latest DLNA.
Microsoft also provides regular updates to the devices that are used by car manufacturers, so your platform will always be compatible with the latest devices.
What’s new for Microsoft Auto Customers
Windows Embedded Automotive 7 now offers new tools for those who are familiar with Microsoft Auto:
- Next-Generation Automotive System Tools
The AST tools help to integrate high-performance, advanced systems. The tools include easy-to-use product engineering guidelines and improved test modules to simplify the development process.
- Wider selection of middleware components
Windows Internet Explorer, Windows Media Technology, and other technologies are required to develop an automotive multimedia system.
- Middleware significantly improved
Windows Embedded Automotive has been updated with Bluetooth profiles and enhanced media and phone modules. It also includes application cores.
- Microsoft Tellme Speech technology engines and Silverlight Windows Embedded
Ford Motor Company used Windows Embedded Automotive for the award-winning Ford SYNC and SYNC with MyFord Touch, as well as SYNC AppLink.
Ford SYNC now offers multilanguage capabilities. The new Focus is available in China. SYNC, the new interface language for Ford SYNC, will recognize accents of 13 different provinces and respond to English commands. The Mandarin language is spoken by over 1.2 billion people and has many subtleties. This required extensive research in order to accommodate the different pronunciations of the same words.
Ford’s expansion in China
Ford’s largest expansion in half a century will take place in China, which is known to be the center of all countries.
Joe Hinrichs is the president of Ford Asia Pacific & Africa. He said, “These are exciting times for Ford Asia.” Ford’s investment in China and Asia represents its fastest and largest global expansion in 50 years.
As seen at the recent Beijing auto show, all major car manufacturers are setting up roots in China to capitalize on this growing market. Ford, with its expanded lineup of vehicles and new technology, is working to offer the Chinese market what it calls a “connected car experience.”
Dave Schoch is the chairman and CEO of Ford China. “The Chinese automobile market remains one the most dynamic in the world,” he said. This expansion will enable Ford to meet its aggressive plan of bringing 15 new vehicles and twenty new powertrains into China by 2015. It will give Chinese consumers more choices in Ford’s high-quality, fuel-efficient, fun-to-drive vehicles.
Understanding Chinese consumers’ purchasing decisions
For many Chinese, car ownership is still a new experience. However, adopting new technologies is not.
Ford helps consumers improve their experience of car ownership by adding Mandarin to the latest version of SYNC. This is a technology that they are already familiar with — the cell phone. Dealers demonstrating how SYNC extends connected capabilities safely helps consumers understand the value of the purchase.
Ford sees SYNC as a way to tell its story to consumers in an engaging manner, providing them with a connection to the vehicle and to the road ahead.