What if Microsoft made a Ford Mustang?
West Coast Customs and Microsoft created Project Detroit to inspire developers to build apps for cars. This ride includes technology from Microsoft's Kinect, Xbox, Windows, and Windows Phone, among others.
The Project Detroit car has a touch-screen display that drivers can swipe to toggle between different dashboard skins. The slate in front of the passenger seat can surf the Web -- and can also send messages for display on the car's rear windshield.
The Project Detroit car can be remotely located, unlocked, and started using the Viper SmartStart app for Windows Phone.
The Project Detroit car includes cameras using Microsoft's Kinect motion-sensing controller on the front and rear of the vehicle. Those cameras can transmit a live video feed of pedestrians and objects to the interior dashboard displays. Even cooler, when the car is parked, the rear windshield can turn into a projector screen for playing movies or video games.
The devices in the Project Detroit car are Web connected, so passengers can use the touch-screen display to check the weather, find nearby businesses, or play Xbox Live against friends.
Web connectivity lets users stream video and audio from cameras and microphones in the car to Windows Phones. That way, users can tell when anyone gets near the car -- from anywhere in the world. And they can turn their phones into microphones, using the car's external PA system to ask lookie loos to step away.
When the Project Detroit car is parked, its rear windshield can flip up, turning into a screen for watching movies or playing Xbox games.