Microsoft claws its way into Ford vehicles

FoMoCo has penned a deal with Microsoft that will see all Ford vehicles from the 2008 model get optional Bluetooth handsfree and Microsoft’s automotive operating system.

The new system will be called “Sync” and will include the ability to receive email directly to the car. It will be tied to the satellite navigation display already available on most models, and integrate with satellite radio and iPod connectors. It’s expected the first vehicles to receive “Sync” will be the Focus and Five Hundred sedans, both of which are being refreshed in 2007.

The deal is expected to be announced jointly at the Consumer Electronics Show and the Detroit Auto Show. Microsoft currently sells an operating system with similar capabilities to Fiat, but this will be a much larger deal.

We’re not entirely convinced Microsoft is the right company to handle Bluetooth technology. Its desktop and mobile products have time and again shown that the company simply doesn’t understand the concept of adhering to standards. And that’s before you get to the jokes about the operating system crashing as you drive…