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americano70e10
May 9th, 2009, 09:06 PM
You all know that some cars have those on-board computers, right? So today I found out that one of my favorite cars will be running windows on it's on-board computer and I though "Is there a way to install ubuntu (or any linux for that matter) on a car's onboard computer?" I'm just asking out of curiosity because:
1) I don't have a car.
and
2) Even if I did I wouldn't mind running windows on it, (as long as it stayed reliable).

Any one know if someone did it or if it can be done? I mean.. they did it to xbox, how hard could it be to put it in a car???

damis648
May 9th, 2009, 09:09 PM
What car, specifically, and does it run Windows CE?

americano70e10
May 9th, 2009, 09:16 PM
Actually I don't know the version it'll be. It just said that It was developed by ford and microsoft (to tell you the truth I don't even know if it's called "windows"). The car is a new ford fusion 2009. But what I wan't to know is if someone was able to put linux in their cars, whichever car and whichever linux...

73ckn797
May 9th, 2009, 09:21 PM
The current computer system integrated into the Ford Fusion is called "Sync". Called an infotainment system. It is a Microsoft based system but I do not know much more than that. Go to www.ford.com .

bapoumba
May 9th, 2009, 09:28 PM
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=NjI3NA :)

Gucko
May 9th, 2009, 09:31 PM
It could be done

Vostrocity
May 9th, 2009, 09:55 PM
Yay I love the Fusion too, won't be getting it any time soon though. :)

To answer your question, it could be done but not easily. You'd probably have to pry it out of your center console, solder on a USB, find a custom ISO that runs well on a slow ARM. Or something like that.

And even after you do that, it would be pretty impractical to have a desktop OS running on a 7 inch screen and to use it while driving.

And to clarify, no it does not run Windows. It just happens that Sync is based on Windows CE. Really it's not hugely better than any other car company's custom infotainment console. It just gets a lot of attention because Microsoft designed it.

Saint Angeles
May 9th, 2009, 09:57 PM
lets hope it doesn't crash...









...your car!!

thisllub
May 9th, 2009, 10:15 PM
This is a good one
http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=60661

This is near perfect.
http://www.geekmyride.org/wiki/index.php/Jon%27s_RX-8

americano70e10
May 9th, 2009, 10:43 PM
Sweet... Thanks for quenching my curiosity guys...

cariboo
May 9th, 2009, 11:00 PM
Fortunately the Microsoft software doesn't have anything to do with running the car, and only is used for running the aduio/video center.

73ckn797
May 10th, 2009, 12:33 AM
Fortunately the Microsoft software doesn't have anything to do with running the car, and only is used for running the aduio/video center.

If they did run the vehicle system computers would the dash display go blue alot?

americano70e10
May 10th, 2009, 02:30 AM
It would probably, after you hit a bump on the road, turn off the car then restart it in safe-mode with the lights, horn and air-bags going off.
Later you try to get in only to find that the car claims you have a bootleg version of your key and it'll only let you in after you called microsoft and told them the key was original...

Vostrocity
May 10th, 2009, 03:00 AM
It would probably, after you hit a bump on the road, turn off the car then restart it in safe-mode with the lights, horn and air-bags going off.
Later you try to get in only to find that the car claims you have a bootleg version of your key and it'll only let you in after you called microsoft and told them the key was original...

:lolflag::lolflag::lolflag:

73ckn797
May 10th, 2009, 04:05 AM
It would probably, after you hit a bump on the road, turn off the car then restart it in safe-mode with the lights, horn and air-bags going off.
Later you try to get in only to find that the car claims you have a bootleg version of your key and it'll only let you in after you called microsoft and told them the key was original...

That was a great comment.:guitar:

Being in the automotive business for 34 years and knowing the crazy glitches that computers can have on their own, adding an MS system would really make things interesting. You would probably have to deal with the vehicle slowing down while it tries to perform an automatic update. It might not let the doors unlock until the validation has completed that would allow for the update to begin.