Meet the Microsoft-Enhanced Mustang
Several Microsoft technologies are part of the car in the image above, a car that blends together a 2012 Ford Mustang chassis and a 1967 Mustang fastback body. All the neon doesn’t serve any practical purpose, it’s just there to complement the matte black paintjob and make the car look a little bit better.
The car was created as part of Project Detroit, a project described by Microsoft’s Michael Stroh as “a rad marriage of cutting-edge apps and auto tech.” Microsoft and designer Ryan Friedlinghaus of West Coast Customs worked hard to come up with a car that incorporates several Microsoft technologies.
Windows Phone is sort of a one-stop point for accessing many of the car’s features. By using a Viper SmartStart app on Windows Phone, you can remotely start the car. Furthermore, if you say something into the Windows Phone, it will be blasted through an external PA speaker system. And that’s not all – Windows Phone is also the car’s eyes and years, not only its voice. You see, Windows Phone gets real-time feeds from multiple Kinect cameras and mics placed all over the car’s body. So if you see someone is getting a bit too close for comfort to the car, you can say something into the Windows Phone and it will be blasted through the PA speaker system.
There’s a heads-up display the driver can use to find a gas station or take a look at the weather forecast. There’s a heads-up display in the passenger side as well; the passenger can play games over Xbox Live with friends. The heads-up display on the passenger side is not visible to the driver.
The bottom line is that this is what happens when Microsoft wants to show developers what they can do with its technology. By working with West Coast Customs the software giant came up with a car that’s stunning to look at and packed with Microsoft technology. Project Detroit incorporates Kinect for Xbox 360, Xbox 360, Windows 8, Windows Phone, Windows Azure, Bing, Ford Sync and more.
The car was created as part of Project Detroit, a project described by Microsoft’s Michael Stroh as “a rad marriage of cutting-edge apps and auto tech.” Microsoft and designer Ryan Friedlinghaus of West Coast Customs worked hard to come up with a car that incorporates several Microsoft technologies.
Windows Phone is sort of a one-stop point for accessing many of the car’s features. By using a Viper SmartStart app on Windows Phone, you can remotely start the car. Furthermore, if you say something into the Windows Phone, it will be blasted through an external PA speaker system. And that’s not all – Windows Phone is also the car’s eyes and years, not only its voice. You see, Windows Phone gets real-time feeds from multiple Kinect cameras and mics placed all over the car’s body. So if you see someone is getting a bit too close for comfort to the car, you can say something into the Windows Phone and it will be blasted through the PA speaker system.
There’s a heads-up display the driver can use to find a gas station or take a look at the weather forecast. There’s a heads-up display in the passenger side as well; the passenger can play games over Xbox Live with friends. The heads-up display on the passenger side is not visible to the driver.
The bottom line is that this is what happens when Microsoft wants to show developers what they can do with its technology. By working with West Coast Customs the software giant came up with a car that’s stunning to look at and packed with Microsoft technology. Project Detroit incorporates Kinect for Xbox 360, Xbox 360, Windows 8, Windows Phone, Windows Azure, Bing, Ford Sync and more.
