| Xsara
Auto PC
The
Xsara Auto PC was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas
in January 1998 and displayed again at the Paris Motor Show. The result
of a partnership between Citroën, Microsoft and Clarion, it opens
new horizons in the field of mobile communications, information and entertainment.
The
Auto PC is the latest in a line of PC-compatible products designed around
the Microsoft Windows CE 2.0 operating system. The main innovation of the
Auto PC resides in its use of voice recognition technology, enabling the
vehicle to respond to oral commands and to talk to the user by means of
a voice synthesis system. In this way, the driver is able to keep his hands
on the steering wheel and his eyes on the road, while maintaining a dialogue
with the on-board system.
The
standard appliance involves no specific modifications to the vehicle since
it is installed in the car radio housing. Sophisticated but easy to use,
the technology supplies the driver with navigation data, traffic information,
and also a personal e-mail service. The Auto PC supplies an electronic
road map relying on a GPS device, which also provides telephone and Internet
access. The user can therefore obtain information on a range of topics
including the stock market and the weather. The Auto PC also acts as a
sophisticated car radio with a graphic equaliser, removable front panel,
CD audio and CD-ROM drive. |
