Microsoft gave developers a close up and personal look at its plans for Windows at last week's Build conference.

Buried amid all the excitement around Cortana and other developments was a sneak peek at the company's in-car operating system concept.

Presented by Steve Teixeira of Microsoft's developer division, the system bears a striking resemblance to Apple's recently unveiled CarPlay system. The four-minute presentation (watch above) showed off what Teixeira described as a projection of your phone's screen onto your dashboard display.

Included in the Windows in-car system menu are options to access maps, make telephone calls, send text messages, listen to music and view your automobile's diagnostic information. There's also a dedicated menu that allows you to view all your apps on one screen.

Video: YouTube, Microsoft/iClarified

Another screen showed a panel that allows the driver to see how many miles he has driven, how many miles are left until service is due, the current weather and shareable data detailing the overall driving efficiency of your last trip. Teixeira also walked through live demos showing how the system can make a phone call and how the system handles maps.

According to Teixeira, part of the development of the system included a full wraparound driving simulator with eye tracking, allowing the testers to detect where drivers are looking while they're driving in the simulator.

Video: YouTube, Microsoft/iClarified

Safety while using the in-car system seems to be an point of emphasis for Microsoft. For example, Teixeira indicated that the developer tools for the system will be geared toward allowing developers to build apps that conform with safe driving standards.

Details regarding the commercial name for the system or a release date were not revealed. Nevertheless, the demonstration was robust enough to prove that Microsoft's mobile efforts — like Apple, Ford, Android and others -– are targeting the car as the next frontier for mobile development.

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