the bangkok post reports that a bmw 520 with windows ce as the software component locked a tailand's finance minister in the car and shut down the ventilation system when the computer failed.
the automotive industry's needs in a nutshell according to microsoft: "In today's economic climate, the automotive industry is faced with two key challenges: boost revenues and reduce costs." read the marketing at microsoft.com
i've never really thought about writing code for a car, but there is obviously a lot of advantages to it. serious thought by developers should be given to figuring out deep failure patterns though. for instance, at my work there is a door, held shut by electromagnets. in the case of a fire, are we assured that the heat will not adversely affect the system that holds the doors shut?
either that, or they will start blaming auto accidents on programmers...(headlines read, "multinational hackers reprogram ford explorers to hone in on one another on rural two-lane highways -- over five thousand dead")
remember to suction-cup your radar detector to the windshield -- oh, and don't forget the virus detector.