Car makers to develop standard platform

The highly intelligent, networked car of the future will hit a milestone as 10 Japanese automakers are poised to announce they are developing their own operating system to help set a standard platform to build controls for everything from the engine to the entertainment system. In that model, a set of domains with a central 32-bit operating system and a legion of surrounding 16-bit and 8-bit microprocessors govern systems such as the drive train, safety systems and entertainment. (August 2, 2007)