Actually, it looks now like MeeGo is going to have its own niche where it will be the embedded Linux of choice: Car entertainment, Internet, and navigation systems.

RMS: « The proposal for a right-to-repair law illustrates the harm done by proprietary software in cars. »

The competition between Microsoft and Open Source software reaches into the automotive space with the announcement of a new alliance amongst automakers and technology providers called Genivi. The goal of the alliance is to build a Linux stack that will provide a common architecture for automotive infotainment systems.

"Many manufacturers are using proprietary systems. Linux is the newcomer. It has not been around long enough. It needs a large shift for the auto industry to more openly accept Linux in these areas," Peter Schulmeyer, director of strategy and microcontroller solutions for Freescale Semiconductor, told LinuxInsider.

DingCheng Electronics has announced a GPS-enabled PC that fits "double DIN" stereo bays. The CarPC 102 has a 4x45W amp, and runs Red Flag Linux or Windows on a 1.1GHz Pentium M processor, with 256MB RAM, 40GB hard drive, DVD/CD-RW drive, and 7-inch WXGA touchscreen display.

A U.S. government- and industry-led coalition aiming to equip every car and roadside in America with wirelessly connected computers has tapped GNU/Linux for a prototype design. The Vehicle Infrastructure Integration Consortium (VII-C) hopes to lower driver death rates, reduce traffic jams, and media-enable cars before 2017.