Microsoft Drives Away With Hyundai-Kia

After the Yahoo-Microsoft fiasco, Microsoft felt it would be smart to go further into automobile entertainment. Today they have announced a long-term partnership with Hyundai-Kia (HKAG) in Seoul.

The two companies have described the new partnership, "Microsoft and HKAG will deliver new and innovative solutions based on the Microsoft Auto software platform, bringing the future of in-car technology to Hyundai-Kia drivers worldwide."

The first product, a next-generation infotainment system that provides voice-controlled connectivity between mobile devices, will be introduced in the North American market in 2010. How far are we from computers driving the auto?

Let’s not get the jokes started about blue screens of death, whether the device will time out and if XP or Vista will drive the car.

Frankly it’s been interesting to me that neither Microsoft nor Apple have come out with a consumer GPS device. Perhaps the next version of the iPhone will offer full GPS, but could you imagine an Apple GPS device either built-in or as a retail add-on for your auto? Consumer GPS is going to blow up later this year. While it’s not as sexy as creating a Facebook app to poke your friends, it is a very lucrative market.