Google made some headlines last year with their driverless car project that successfully navigated across the country. Microsoft's SYNC system has become a major selling point for Ford. iPod integration is a de facto standard for many new vehicles. Increasingly, "technology" is being used to sell cars and increasingly cars are starting to take on characteristics that we might otherwise find in the Personal Computer world. At this point in time, it doesn't seem too unreasonable that we won't continue to see these trends developed until you basically have a car that is outright running an OS. Google has made no bones about wanting Android to be on as many 'devices' as possible. Microsoft seems equally eager to put Windows 8 on as many different 'screens' as possible. I'm wondering if we won't eventually see "The Google Car, powered by Android, built by Hyundai(or whoever)" or "Windows 8 for Ford Focus", and if that does become the case, do you think that Apple might also throw in? Doesn't seem like something Apple would want to do unless they could control the design and branding of the vehicle, but having Apple becoming a car company seems very unlikely.
I recognize it is a bit of a stretch, and a lot of things would need to happen first. But I think a lot of the raw technology is there at this point, and with driverless cars, next-gen electric* and hybrid cars, increasingly widespread internet availability...etc. Seems like a fairly logical place for the 900lbs gorillas of Computer Technology to get involved.
Thoughts?
*Note, I am well aware of the hurdles involving electric vehicles and I'm not trying to pretend that they will magically start making sense in their current implementations, but if the car becomes redefined overall, I can't rule out the place of electric motors here.
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