Microsoft to unveil ultimate Windows muscle car
Mar 21, 2012, 3:39 PM | Updated: 4:28 pm
It’s a dream come true for car and computer geeks
alike. Some ambitious Microsoft developers have partnered
with legendary car company West Coast Customs to come up
with what can only be called the ‘ultimate Windows
machine.’
They’re calling it “Project Detroit.” It’s a customized
2012 high-performance Ford Mustang with virtually every
Microsoft technology baked in.
“Against the odds, and perhaps against our better
judgment in terms of sleeping hours, we set out to see
what was possible when you combine some of the world’s
most innovative technology, the latest in cloud
connectivity and raw American auto muscle,” writes
developer Jeff Sandquist on Microsoft’s Channel 9.
It’s pretty impressive. Among the cool features,
according to the site:
*Heads Up Display: Similar to what’s found in fighter
jets, the windshield contains a driver side and passenger
side heads-up display (HUD) highlighting telemetry and
Bing Maps information directly on the windshield. A
passenger can play Xbox on his/her side of the windshield
without distracting the driver.
*Customizable Rear Windshield: While driving, the rear
windshield can serve as a customizable display system that
can play video, show images and display custom messages,
like “Stop tailgating me please” or something more, umm,
colorful.
*Entertainment System: The entertainment system comes
with an Xbox 360 and a Kinect. When parked, the rear
windshield can actuate up to serve as a projector screen
for playing movies or video games from behind the car.
*External Audio System: The audio system acts as a
public address system so you can speak into your phone and
have the audio played through the car’s external speakers.
Using this system, the car also has customizable car horn
“ringtones” that enable you to change what sound plays
when the horn is honked.
The car also comes with built-in WiFi and Kinect
cameras embedded throughout to monitor what’s going around
the car. And you can control it all remotely using a
Windows Phone.
The developers say they’ll make the computer code
available so others can create their own unique
applications using Microsoft products.
“Project Detroit” will be officially unveiled Sunday,
March 25 at 9:00 p.m. PT/ET on Discovery’s Velocity
Network.
