Open source challenges embedded Microsoft Auto platform

Microsoft has announced a new version of its Microsoft Auto platform targeted at automakers, who currently use it mainly as an entertainment/multimedia platform. It’s now being challenged by a new non-profit group whose members are pledged to create an open source In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) platform, called Genivi. Our Microsoft Subnet blog has some details on the news. Initial members are BMW Group, Delphi, General Motors Corp., Intel, Magneti Marelli, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Visteon Corp., and real-time OS vendor Wind River. A couple of years ago at the Consumer Electronics Show, I sat through an un-inspired Microsoft demo of the platform, which was focused on downloading, organizing, playing MP3 files and the like. When I asked the Microsoft folks if their OEMs and VARs were doing anything like engine monitoring, diagnostics, integrated location-based services, automatic e-payments for services, and so on, they looked baffled. And the answer was “we’ll get back to you.” What was far more interesting to me just a few feet away was a demonstration by Dresser Wayne, a manufacturer of advanced electronic gas pumps (“dispensers” as they’re called). Their newest pump at the time was the Ovation iX, embedding Windows CE 5 with their own application software, linked via Ethernet to the store server and WAN, and via Wi-Fi or “near-field communications” (NFC) wireless technology to cards, key fobs and other devices used by drivers at the pump. Those guys got it: increasing the “user experience” is becoming a function of machine-to-machine networking and communications.