Over on the Microsoft campus this week, I got a chance to check out a vehicle control system from Modularis that uses Windows to control a police car’s in-vehicle systems — everything from the lights and sirens to the rear door, using traditional input and voice commands.

It’s also a cloud-based solution, using Windows Azure. A prototype Windows 8 app from Modularis makes it possible to receive data from multiple cars, including video and location, on a tablet.

It’s part of an initial wave of apps designed for the new Microsoft operating system, which is expected to make its official debut later this year.

The app doubles as a remote control, as demonstrated by Modularis co-founder A.J. Singh in the second part of the video above. The cab driver parked next to the police car didn’t know what to think.

The demo was part of Microsoft’s annual Worldwide Public Safety Symposium, where public safety officials from around the world gathered this week. Also see our earlier look inside Microsoft’s Global Security Operations Center.

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