Microsoft announces Connected Vehicle Platform for autonomous driving at CES 2017

Microsoft has announced a new cloud platform for connected cars called the Microsoft Connected Vehicle Platform at CES 2017. The platform uses the company’s Azure cloud platform and aims to address five core scenarios. These include predictive maintenance, improved in-car productivity, advanced navigation, customers insights and building autonomous driving capabilities. The cloud will handle the large volume of data that is generated from connected vehicles, and let car manufacturers use that data as per their needs. 

In Microsoft’s official blog, Peggy Johnson, Executive Vice President, Business Development stated, “Today, the car is more than just a ride between two places — it is a hub of activity for daily life. People are looking to have truly connected experiences in their cars so that they can get more done, save time and make life easier. While safety and security are baseline requirements, our services can help make a person’s work day more efficient. For instance, imagine that Cortana seamlessly connects you whether you’re at home or in your car. Let’s say you’re on your phone at home and tell Cortana to set up a meeting for you and your colleague the next morning at a coffee shop. The next time you get in your car, Cortana reminds you of the morning meeting and starts navigation to get you to that coffee shop.”

Microsoft has already partnered with other automobile manufacturers like Nissan and BMW. Nissan has already announced that the Microsoft Connected Vehicle Platform will power Nissan’s next generation of connected vehicles. Microsoft will work with BMW on BMW Connected, which is a “personal mobility companion service” that aims to deliver in-car productivity services through Office 365, as well as intelligent personal assistance for drivers. Microsoft also insisted that it was not going to build its own connected car. 

Follow Us

Shrey Pacheco

Writer, gamer, and hater of public transport. View Full Profile