Microsoft Cortana might ride shotgun with you one day

With Cortana integrated with the entire vehicle , a driver may be able to change air conditioning setting, check maintenance reports or switch driving modes with their voice.

“This new feature leverages Cortana’s functionality to notify you of the best coupons Cortana can find for a retailer without you ever needing to leave the retailer’s site”, Microsoft explains in a blog post.

Microsoft has announced that it has been experimenting with in-car technology that uses its digital voice assistant Cortana as an interface.

Cortana can now present coupons from popular retailers directly in the navigation bar and with the initial release, Staples, Best Buy and Macy’s are participating in the program; Microsoft says that they will be expanding the service to other retails in the coming months.

Microsoft has always come up with something different for each of the auto manufacturers that it works with, such as Nissan, Ford, BMW, Fiat and Kia. “But we hope to have further discussions with Taiwanese partners to jointly explore future possibilities”, Shen said during his opening keynote speech at the TechDays Taiwan developer conference.

It remains unclear at this point which potential partners Microsoft has in its sights for this project, or when it might develop connected cars with Cortana integration. With such a technology, drivers can keep both hands on the wheel while receiving a host of information and help from the prototype model.

Shen didn’t reveal the names of any specific partners, according to the Tapei Times. Today, Microsoft is making the assistant an even more savvy shopper, with the launch of a new “Cortana coupons” feature, built into the company’s new Edge browser in Windows 10.

“We will always look at ways to bring high-value experiences, like Cortana, to consumers in a variety of ways”, a Microsoft spokesperson said.