Following Apple's unveiling of CarPlay at this year's Geneva Motor Show, Microsoft used its recent Build developer conference to reveal how it plans to allow the integration of its smartphones with automobiles. Instead of automakers using Microsoft programming to create their own infotainment interfaces, this would port your mobile phone's screen onto the car's touchscreen but with the look of the Windows "Metro" UI.
The system uses the Mirrorlink standard, which is (also) a rival to CarPlay, the major difference between the two being that Mirrorlink can port Windows, Android and Blackberry phone systems, and Google has its own Open Automotive Alliance dedicated to Android integration. Automakers won't have to choose just one, having come together to establish open standards that can incorporate the different systems.
Microsoft's concept provides almost complete control of what's on your phone, throws in GPS data like speed limits and some vehicular controls, and will let developers create apps that adhere to safe driving protocols. The system doesn't have a name or an arrival date yet, but Microsoft is testing it out on the road right now. You can watch it be demonstrated - and yes, crash, since it's pre-production software - in the video below.
The system uses the Mirrorlink standard, which is (also) a rival to CarPlay, the major difference between the two being that Mirrorlink can port Windows, Android and Blackberry phone systems, and Google has its own Open Automotive Alliance dedicated to Android integration. Automakers won't have to choose just one, having come together to establish open standards that can incorporate the different systems.
Microsoft's concept provides almost complete control of what's on your phone, throws in GPS data like speed limits and some vehicular controls, and will let developers create apps that adhere to safe driving protocols. The system doesn't have a name or an arrival date yet, but Microsoft is testing it out on the road right now. You can watch it be demonstrated - and yes, crash, since it's pre-production software - in the video below.
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