Other APIs
The Auto PC 2.0 software includes a handful of other new or improved APIs. Here they are:

The CD Control API
Another COM interface type API that makes it much easier for a software vendor to write their own CD player application. The CD control API abstracts out the hardware involved in loading and playing CDs from the application and creates a hierarchical representation of CD drives, discs, and tracks.

Vehicle I/O API
This API, while part of the Auto PC 1.0 specification, didn't really ship until Vetronix recently released their CarPort device, which acts as a communication bridge between the Auto PC and the vehicle's on-board diagnostic computer. This API, also COM based, allows applications to get information about the vehicle and even control certain items in the vehicle, such as power door locks and windows.

Position and Navigation API
This API has been expanded and improved with new COM interfaces to allow for efficient access to and processing of data from dead reckoning sensors used for navigation and location based calculations. In addition to the existing IPosNav interface, which gives access to GPS, several new interfaces have been added. These interfaces include something called INavSourceMgr which, as the name suggests, helps an application identify and access various sources of navigation data. Another interface, InavTap, manages the receipt and processing of readings from navigation peripherals. This interface works with the new interface INavReadingMgr to receive the data from the InavTap, and helps manage what can be a huge volume of information.

Extraneous Driver Distraction Control
This API and messaging system is used to allow applications writers to know whether the current state of the vehicle is safe to show what could be considered distracting information to the operator of the vehicle. For instance, a navigation system will want to show its moving map display while the vehicle is in operation, but only allow the entry of an address if the vehicle is stopped and has the emergency break on. Understandably, Microsoft leaves defining this state entirely up to the Auto PC OEM and the actual use of the information entirely up to each application vendor.

Asynchronous Audio APIs and Event Notification
The audio manager API and tuner control APIs have been enhanced to provide asynchronous notification to interested applications of events that affect the audio system, including but not limited to volume up/down, tuner frequency change, EQ change, and mute on/off. This is an important addition if you're writing an application suite to control the CD player or tuner. For example, it was previously difficult to find out if application A changed the tuner frequency set by application B.

Final thoughts
So how do you get started developing for Auto PC 2.0? For starters, most any application you write for Auto PC 1.0 can be easily ported to Auto PC 2.0; in most cases just a recompile for the new target processors that are available is necessary. You can read my earlier article on getting started programming for the Auto PC for information on developing for the 1.0 product. Microsoft has yet to release any formal statement on obtaining the tools to develop for the Auto PC 2.0 product. My sources suggest that Windows CE Platform Builder 2.12 will be the development platform of choice for the Auto PC. As soon as I get official word from Microsoft on getting the tools you need to write for Auto PC 2.0, I'll let you know in my next article. Until then, since nobody is actually shipping Auto PC 2.0 products, you'll need to strike up a relationship with one of the Auto PC 2.0 OEMs, such as Clarion, Visteon, or Delco to get information on writing for their platform.