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Microsoft experimenting with Cortana in your car

Microsoft experimenting with Cortana in your car

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Microsoft first unveiled its Windows in the car concept at last year's Build developer conference. While the demo included the ability to project a Windows interface to mirror what's shown on a phone screen into a touch- and car-friendly interface, there was little mention of how you'd interact with the system using just your voice.

Microsoft's Windows in the car concept has now progressed to include Cortana. At Microsoft's TechDays event in Taiwan today, Samuel Shen, chief operating officer at Microsoft Asia-Pacific Research, revealed that the company has created a concept that projects Cortana onto the windshield of a car. The Cortana integration lets drivers make restaurant reservations on their windshield, or see their favorite locations thanks to a virtual map. Taipei Times reports that Shen revealed "we have not launched similar products due to the high cost, but we hope to have further discussions with Taiwanese partners to jointly explore future possibilities."

Still just a concept for now

It's clear that Microsoft's car efforts have progressed over the past year, but the company still isn't ready to launch its own Windows 10 integration. Microsoft has powered a lot of different car entertainment systems over the years, with Ford, Kia, BMW, Nissan, and Fiat all using special versions of Windows to create their own interfaces and systems. Unfortunately, Microsoft's software has been custom for each car manufacturer, so no standard emerged. If Microsoft manages to bring its latest concept into reality, then it will serve as a Mirrorlink alternative to Apple's CarPlay or Google's Android Auto.