Microsoft releases Windows Embedded Automotive 7

2011 Nissan Leaf interior – Click above for high-res image gallery

All the fancy new technology buried deep inside the guts of today’s latest crop of cars and trucks needs some serious software magic to function properly, and Microsoft is one of the leading suppliers of bits and bytes in the automotive realm. Carmakers like Fiat, Ford, Kia and Nissan are all using software sourced from the Redmond-based tech giant.

Windows Embedded Automotive 7 introduces new technologies such as Silverlight, which allows for 2D and 3D graphics improvements, and Tellme speech technology, which allows real-time text-to-speech technology and the ability to respond to text messages using spoken input.

Another interesting tidbit officially revealed by Microsoft today is that the 2011 Nissan Leaf touchscreen information hub (shown above) is, in fact, powered by Windows Embedded Automotive technology. Drivers will get a navigation system along with an electricity charging station locator, a power consumption monitor and in-car climate monitoring. Want more? Check out the full press release after the break.

Gallery: 2010 Nissan Leaf EV