.KEYWORD autopc
.FLYINGHEAD BEHIND THE SCENES
.TITLE The AutoPC: Vision vs. Reality
.FEATURE
.SPOTLIGHT FIGALT autopc-cover.gif
.SUMMARY Mark Moeller’s an interesting guy. When he was at Microsoft, back in 1995, he was asked to design a computer for a car. His research became the original design for the AutoPC. What if you could be a bug on the wall and learn the original vision–not just what’s on the market now–but the secrets of what might be possible? Now you can. This article’s just one more exclusive insider story brought to you by the editors of Windows CE Power Magazine.
.AUTHOR Mark Moeller
It was the spring of 1995 and I was working for Microsoft. When the Director of Advanced Technology asked me to put together a proposal for a computer for the car, I was eager to take up the task. As a car buff, audio enthusiast, and computer geek, I had been thinking for years how useful it would be to have a general-purpose multimedia-computing platform in my car. It could offer me information and entertainment features not offered in any retail auto sound product, at a much lower cost than the aggregate of the individual items required to approach the same feature set. The opportunity to design and build a computer for the car was a dream come true.
It was clear that to be successful, this new platform had to be open and accessible like the PC platform. To keep total cost of ownership down, it needed to replace as many existing information, entertainment, and communication features as possible. It should easily install into existing vehicles in the auto aftermarket, and do everything an existing car stereo could do, maybe better.
There were a number of other requirements specific to the automobile and consumer markets that had to be met. One of the most obvious differences from a typical computing device was that the operator of such a computer for the car would need to be primarily occupied with driving. The implication was that our user would have all but a fraction of their visual and tactile resources occupied by driving. The only things we’d have to work with would be the user’s speech and auditory resources. This meant that a speech-driven user interface would need to be developed. Since this product would be replacing a consumer electronics product, the car stereo, it needed to be as reliable and predictable as the product it was replacing. After all, when was the last time you rebooted a car stereo or had a tuner cause an exception error?
.H1 AutoPC fantasy and reality
My main interest in the product lay in the feature set, or rather, the potential feature set. I wanted to design a system that would allow a virtually unlimited potential feature set. Here are some of the potential features I saw as desirable for the AutoPC, contrasted with the reality of how they are now. Of course, technology and product development takes time. My original vision is still possible and each day and each week, we get closer to making it all practical.
.H2 Vision: high end audio system
I thought all audio should be kept in the digital domain, all the way to the speakers if possible. 24-bit processing would be nice with 5.1 channel surround sound. All crossovers, equalization and other sound contouring should be done in the digital domain. Any number of audio playback devices should be able to interface to the unit through a digital bus. Digital amplifiers should be able to receive the audio information via the same digital bus. This would eliminate noise that gets injected into the signal in conventional audio systems.
.H2 Reality: nice audio!
The AutoPC uses a pure digital path for sound processing. The analog output of the tuner radio signal is digitized with a 20-bit A/D (i.e., analog/digital) converter. When playing CD’s, as shown in Figure A, the data is read off of the CD and passed to a 24-bit DSP (digital signal processor) for all signal contouring and processing. The data is then sent to a 20-bit D/A converter and analog audio is then fed to the line level out and amplifiers.
.Fig A The AutoPC has a nice, if small, user interface. Here, it’s playing a disk.
.H2 Vision: speech-driven user interface
Let me talk to the AutoPC and have it talk back. Keep my attention, as a driver, focused on the road with my hands on the wheel. Help me to drive more safely even if I’m just using the audio features of the product.
.H2 Reality: semi-speechless
For many key features you can command the AutoPC with speech and it will talk back. However, there are many more tasks that can’t be done with speech.
.H2 Vision: GPS with navigation software
A GPS (i.e., Global Positioning System) with navigation software is a natural feature in a car. Being able to obtain an answer to the question "Where am I?" when you ask, is a great safety and convenience feature. Since stand-alone navigation systems run around $3,000, this functionality in the AutoPC could be the feature that sells the product to many people.
.H2 Reality: GPS essentials
The AutoPC comes with a driving directions application, shown in Figure B, that is okay for getting you from point A to point B but it doesn’t use the GPS except to obtain your starting location. A full feature navigation system for the AutoPC called Odyssey that gives the AutoPC full use of the GPS can be purchased from Infogation at http://www.infogation.com. .
.Fig B Where do you want to go today?
.H2 Vision: address book with phone integration
I wanted the AutoPC to be able to dial the phone. I wanted it to recognize the sound of a a person’s name or dial when their phone number was being spoken. I wanted it to provide hands-free functionality through the existing speakers in the car and the AutoPC’s microphone. Also, I wanted to tie this into the navigation system so I could just tell the system to direct me to "Josh’s house". Plus, having access to the location and phone numbers of various points of interest would be valuable. With the integrated navigation system, you’d be able to direct the AutoPC to find the nearest ATM machine, gas station, or hospital.
.H2 Reality: address this a little more
Much of this functionality is available for the AutoPC today, as shown in Figure C, except for that fact that phone manufacturers have yet to come out publicly with interface kits for the AutoPC. Infogation’s Odyssey doesn’t integrate the address book quite as seamlessly as the vision but they do work together.
.FIG C Who do you want to call today?
.H2 Vision: link to my engine’s on-board computer
There’s a diagnostic connector under my dashboard for my engine’s computer. I thought the AutoPC should be able to talk to that computer through the diagnostic link. Since the on-board diagnostic link was standardized by federal law in 1996 model year vehicles (the Society of Automotive Engineers standard is referred to as OBD II), this standardization would make it much more practical to design a link between the car’s computer and the AutoPC. It would be great if, when my engine was having trouble, the AutoPC was able to tell me what was wrong with it, providing at least basic information about which subsystem or sensor was failing. The AutoPC should also be able to get vehicle speed, engine temperature, outside air temperature, RPM, and door switch information from the engine computer. Power accessory features like windows, door locks, and seat position should also be able to be controlled. There should be some sort of gatekeeper between the two devices to prevent one device harming the other.
.H2 Reality: not yet, but maybe soon
There is currently no way to do this with the AutoPC. A company by the name of Vetronix is nearing their ship date for such a product that will plug into the AutoPC and the vehicle’s engine computer via the diagnostic connector. They also expect to introduce an array of software to work with their interface box.
.H2 Vision: digital dashboard
Through the vehicle diagnostic link and the GPS, using a larger screen or heads up display like those used on fighter planes, the AutoPC could enhance or replace much of the instrumentation in my vehicle. The information could be displayed in the format I want and even have intelligence applied. Urgent information–like fuel level, engine temperature, or even alerting the responsible driver that he or she may be exceeding the speed limit–could all be displayed clearly.
.H2 Reality: doable!
Once Vetronix ships their product, this will be doable. However, the limited screen size of the AutoPC should cause developers of such software to look at using auditory-based indicators instead of conventional visual indicators.
.H2 Vision: alarm system
With GPS, a computer, interface to vehicle’s on-board computer and a wireless phone interface, the AutoPC would have the makings for an excellent vehicle alarm system. Not only could it sound a blaring alarm through the speakers in the car or an auxiliary external horn, it could also call for help, disable the engine, and even report its exact location. Like some other modern car stereos, the AutoPC itself could disable itself if it were removed so that no amount of tampering could restore the device without a password.
.H2 Reality: alarming
Nobody has done anything with this yet. Clarion had originally announced that they would have an Ungo alarm that interfaced to the AutoPC but that has yet to become available. A hardware vendor needs to provide an interface box between the AutoPC and the vehicle wiring harness. Alternatively, the Vetronix interface might be able to be used.
.H2 Vision: Internet radio
With a full time wireless Internet connection, the AutoPC could become the ultimate Internet radio. With RealAudio and Windows Media being effective standards for streaming audio on the Internet, having a specialized radio tuner application that handles RealAudio or Windows Media sources would open the AutoPC to the entire world with regard to the ability to receive broadcasts.
.H2 Reality: radio blues
Nothing is being done here. There is a huge opportunity here for someone to start a successful business. [Of course, there are also some wireless constraints still in the way. There are not yet universal "all you can eat" wireless ISP services, so if you’re listening to our friends at TTALK.COM for an hour on the way to work, your per-minute wireless charges could be huge. — DG]
.H2 Vision: text reader
Using Text to Speech, the AutoPC should be able to read back to you any source material that you have access to in text format. Imagine downloading text from the daily newspaper of your choice and having it read to you as you drive to work. Sources such as email, web pages, online or CD-ROM based libraries are all excellent candidates for such a text reading tool.
.H2 Reality: talk to me
Nothing has been done here outside of the AutoPC wireless messaging application that’s capable of reading the news, traffic and email it receives via the wireless link. However, to date, the wireless link has not yet been shipped.
.H2 Vision: flexible hardware interface
It should be easy to add new hardware to the device such as CD changers, tape player, DVD player, MP3 decoder, game controllers, radar detectors, wireless transceivers, rear view cameras, or proximity sensors. Really, there should be no limit to what can be attached. A standardized interface should be provided for this such as the Universal Serial Bus.
.H2 Reality: be more flexible
This can be done today but only a few hardware manufacturers are working on such products and the special in-vehicle USB connector has not been made widely available by Clarion. There are serious opportunities here to integrate with the AutoPC if someone is willing to take them.
.H2 Vision: traffic information integration
The system should be able to integrate any available traffic data from local municipalities into its navigation system or information reporting tools. Imagine being able to know, in real time, where the slowdowns were on your route home and have the navigation system dynamically reroute you around the problem. It would also be useful to have vehicles anonymously post their direction, speed, and location and this would dynamically update a database of road conditions for other AutoPC users in the area to use.
.H2 Reality: more info needed
There is lots of talking going on in the Intelligent Transportation Systems groups and some experimentation. However, nothing is available yet to consumers.
.H2 Vision: entertainment software
It would be fun if the AutoPC could play games with the user. Specifically, games that can be done using only spoken information. Games such as poker, blackjack, Adventure, or memory games are examples but there are many more. The text based adventure games of the 70’s and 80’s, such as Zork, could have a revival deployed as games on the AutoPC.
.H2 Reality: entertaining thoughts
Entertainment software is available from a few companies for the AutoPC. OmegaOne, at http://www.omegaone.com, is one such company. They sell a dominos program and also have a free GPS clock program. Another interesting tool they have is something called Active Volume which automatically adjusts the volume on the AutoPC based on the speed of the vehicle to help keep the audio clear over the road noise.
.H1 More thoughts
These are only some of the many ideas I had in mind for the AutoPC and they primarily deal with the vehicle operator while the vehicle is in motion. There are vast numbers possibilities if one begins to consider passenger entertainment, mobile office, recreational vehicles, or vertical market applications. There are great opportunities here for a creative entrepreneur to come up with some great new tool for the motor vehicle that is primarily software or a new accessory for the vehicle.
As you can see, the AutoPC can do many of the things I envisioned. However, the software that ships with the AutoPC is very basic and doesn’t begin to approach the possibilities I’ve enumerated. This isn’t great news for people who want these features here and now but it is great news for software and hardware developers out there who want to establish a leadership position in a new market
