In a press release, Toyota announced the creation of Toyota Connected (TC), a new company that utilizes the power of Microsoft Azure. TC will help develop Toyota’s vehicle technology while using Microsoft Azure to manage its data services for its consumers.
Zack Hicks, CEO of Toyota Connected and Chief Information Officer at Toyota Motor North America explains the new company’s vision:
“Toyota Connected will help free our customers from the tyranny of technology. It will make lives easier and help us to return to our humanity. From telematics services that learn from your habits and preferences, to use-based insurance pricing models that respond to actual driving patterns, to connected vehicle networks that can share road condition and traffic information, our goal is to deliver services that make lives easier. ”
TC is a joint venture with Microsoft, and has two goals; to deliver uninterrupted services and Azure’s data analytics to support product development for its Toyota dealers, customers, and partners. Microsoft’s Kurt DelBene, executive vice president, Corporate Strategy and Planning discussed the new venture with Toyota using Azure:
“Toyota is taking a bold step creating a company dedicated to bringing cloud intelligence into the driving experience. We look forward to working with Toyota Connected to harness the power of data (using Azure) to make driving more personal, intuitive and safe.”
TC will be a completely separate company from Toyota, giving TC ample focus to expand and deliver car technology solutions at their new Toyota Research Institute in Plano, Texas. TC continues the long-standing partnership with Microsoft by further driving research and development efforts to expand on Toyota’s customers’ experiences globally.
Using Microsoft Azure, TC hopes to realize projects like in-car telematic services, home and IoT connectivity, and a broad range of other data services to help Toyota dealers and affiliates.
