http://news.com.com/1606-2_3-6052333...2333&subj=news

 

Oh great...more things to distract people while they're driving.

As a tech junkie, I like the idea, but I also feel that some people need every ounce of brain power they have just to keep their car in their own lane.

 

Already most nav systems won't let you do anything complex unless you're at a complete stop or even force you to have the car in park. That system is even more complex; I can't imagine them letting you do much more without being stopped.

Does look pretty neat though. There are quite a few cars that do some limited forms of integration with bluetooth PDA devices like the Treo. I've got the Treo 700w, and my A4 has a bluetooth option, but I didn't opt for it. My friend has a Treo 650 and an 05 Acura TL w/ nav - it's pretty neat but the interface can be a little annoying and inconsistant from time to time.

This sort of stuff is obviously the future; and from the looks of it, if VW plans on making this system available anytime in the near future, they may just take the lead as the most advanced in-car setup to date. Currently their nav systems kinda suck (average at best relative to the rest of the market).

 

true its great if people can not hurt other people trying to find a song in there ipods

 

the music stuff i can see, but the email and other various office crap? why not just do that ... at the office?

 

For what it's worth the 'office crap' would be very useful to me, assuming the interface between it and my phone was relatively seemless;

 

If you thought it was hard for people to pay attention to the road while talking on a cell, just wait till they get the ability to download **** off their dashboard. That is gonna be some scary ****.

 

I can't tell you how many times I have wanted to operate my iron from inside my Firebird.

 

I won't rest until I can get a VCR machine, a cotton candy machine, a deep fryer, a computer, a tv, etc... all in my car... a la Homer in the Simpsons.

On a similar note, why not just offer a simple plug in interface that allows a user to hook up his/her laptop and do anything and everything? Just supply a program on CD with every car to install drivers on the laptop.

 

I would own that guy in putt-putt golf!
[commercial hijack)

 

Why does your car need to know if your iron is being used at home?

I'm all for cool new tech stuff, but I would rarly use this stuff. GPS and bluetooth phone is the most high tech I'd be able to use while driving. This stuff would be cool in the back of a minivan.

 

I think they were just showing how detailed it can get, but more useful reports would things such as if you remembered to set the house alarm, if you turned the heat off or down low before you left on your vacation, if you left a window open, etc.

 

I absolutely hate the look of those big screens in a car. Navigation systems are some of the ugliest things in cars now.

I don't need or want anything other than a CD player and possibly some kind of jack for hooking in an xternal mp3 player or something.

 

I want auto pilot, voice activated controls, radar warning receiver, and a Bitchin' Betty! Preferably tied to all systems.

And yes, I would actually like that stuff

 

Here's what you need:

1) Your dash should be a LCD/flat-screen. Your car should have a wireless transmitter, allowing you to connect to your car from your computer. Let an owner pull car metrics from their computer -- why bother with the proprietary crap? Putting a flat-screen in on all of your vehicles would allow you to standardize your dash componentry and bring the overall cost down. Want to upgrade the dash? Change the software/upload a different layout. Perhaps you could allow the user to change the appearance/location of the gauges? Skins? Themes? The door's open. You want to change shift-points/mild tuning metrix? Why not. The tuner market would *wet itself*. You could worry about an owner screwing something up.. but how is that any different from an owner taking a wrench to their car? Of course you'd provide some sort of "reset defaults" function as well.

2) Put a hard drive in your car (as an option). I should be able to upload mp3's to my vehicle and load the damn vehicle up. Perhaps I could pull it from a CD or an existing MP3 device (Ipod?) -- or maybe just use that wireless connection from #1/above.

You'd imagine it would increase the cost somewhat; but guess what? Your car has some of these functions already -- and it's all locked down, proprietary bull****. Your car already has a processor. It already allows connections via a scan-tool. What would be the difference in cost if you used an industry-standard chipset instead of something proprietary? What would be the cost of embedding a wifi-transmitter? $50? How about a low-res Vid Card? Another $100? And a small LCD screen? Heck, you can get portable DVD players that are under $200.. So I can't imagine something like this, component-wise would cost you more than $500.. and you'd have something that would absolutely set-you-apart from everybody else, it would garner you a look from a generation that has been born-and-raised as "Toyota" and "Honda" consumers from their parents. And you start to establish yourself as a forward-thinking, innovative company.