From desktop to dashboard, PCs take front seat.

Las Vegas: To the dismay of safety advocates already worried about driver distraction, automakers and high-tech companies have found a new place to put sophisticated internet-connected computers: the front seat. Technology giants like Intel and Google are turning their attention from the desktop to the dashboard, hoping to bring the power of the PC to the car. The first wave of these "infotainment systems" will hit the market this year. While built-in navigation features were once costly options, the new systems are likely to be standard equipment in a wide range of cars before long. They prevent drivers from watching video and using some functions while the car is moving, but they can still pull up content as varied as restaurant reviews and the covers of music albums with the tap of a finger. Safety advocates say the firms behind these technologies are tone-deaf to studies showing the risks of distracted driving — and to a growing debate about use of mobile devices in cars.
One system on the way this fall from Audi lets drivers pull up information as they drive. Heading to Madison Square Garden for a basketball game? Pop down the touch pad, finger-scribble the word "Knicks" and get a Wikipedia entry on the arena, photos and reviews of nearby restaurants, and animations of the ways to get there. The technology and car companies say that safety remains a priority. They note that they are working on technology like voice commands and screens that can simultaneously show a map to the driver and a movie to a front-seat passenger. 

AAJ NEWS (aaj.tv)