Fiat Auto and Microsoft are joining forces for a long-term strategic automotive partnership, developing telematics solutions. The telematics systems produced will allow users’ cellular phones, Pocket PC or Windows Mobile systems to integrate with the vehicle via Bluetooth and voice-activated access to data including digital music through a USB connection.

The joint Fiat Auto-Microsoft system will be based on standard hardware and Windows Automotive, which enables Fiat Auto to implement a software design that can be customised and upgraded according to customers’ preferences.

Magneti Marelli, Fiat Group automotive components’ arm, will build the hardware on which the systems are integrated.