BILL GATES ENVISIONS
CARS THAT CAN’T CRASH
By Basil Okafor
Monday, May 9, 2005
Meanwhile, Microsoft Corporation mogul, Bill Gates and the
leader of Ford Motor Corporation, outlined a future, recently,
in which software enables cars to fix themselves and avoid
accidents.
Gates and Bill Ford Jr., Ford’s chairman and chief executive,
said high-definition screens, speech recognition technology,
cameras, digital calendars and navigation equipment with directions
and road conditions, will set car companies apart from their
competitors.
Eventually, Gates said, there could be a car that wouldn’t
let itself crash.
“That absolutely should be the goal,’’ Gates
told several hundred participants of the Microsoft Global
Automotive Summit at the automaker’s suburban Detroit
campus. “The embrace of technology will be the key for
the leaders of the industry.’’
Also penultimate Friday, Microsoft unveiled its Performance
Peak Initiative – a line of computer systems to help
the auto industry better coordinate supply chains, streamline
design, production and sales and fill vehicles with computer
gadgets.
The company said its technology is currently in 25 vehicle
devices from 13 automotive companies.
Microsoft also owns MSN Autos, a vehicle information and buying
network.
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