Like Fiat and Ford automobiles, South Korean Hyundai and Kia vehicles will receive their own version of Microsoft's hands-free media player and mobile phone interface by November, the companies said.

Late Yesterday, South Korea's Hyundai Kia Automotive Group, and Microsoft announced a partnership that will outfit the manufacturer's Hyundai and Kia vehicles with hands-free cell phone and media player controls beginning in November. Voice response-equipped automobiles are expected to hit the market in 2010.

The Microsoft Auto in-car system had been in development for nearly four years, and included a collaboration in Europe with auto manufacturer Fiat. The two companies planned to release a telematics system in 2005, but the Blue&Me in-car communication system did not launch until 2006. By 2007, features were added to include carbon dioxide emissions level collection and GPS navigation.

iSuppli put together an estimated bill-of-materials for Ford's Sync and concluded that the whole hands-free mobile phone interface and portable media player controller costs the auto company around $30 for components, and around $125 including license, design and development. With such a low pricetag, it was only a matter of time before other companies received similar functionality, and unlike the company's "lifetime" arrangement with Fiat, Ford only had a one-year exclusivity license for Microsoft's technology.