Ericsson, Microsoft to Work on Next Generation Connected Cars
Ericsson and Microsoft have announced that they will jointly working to develop and integrated solution that will allow automakers to deploy and scale global vehicle services such as fleet management, over-theair software updates and connected safety services much easier and faster while reducing costs. According to the Ericsson press release, the company is building its Connected Vehicle Cloud on top of the Microsoft Connected Vehicle Platform that is running on the Microsoft Azure cloud platform. “It provides flexibility through modular design and multiple deployment options,” the company stated.
Ericsson’s Connected Vehicle Cloud connects more than four million vehicles across 180 countries worldwide, approximately 10% of the connected vehicle market. The platform is tailored to fit vehicle manufacturers’ growing demand for scalability and flexibility with the capability of supporting any connected vehicle service.
The press release also pointed out that Ericsson’s Connected Vehicle Cloud offloads vehicle manufacturers’ complexity of global 24/7 operations and lifecycle management related to connected vehicles with a guaranteed service-level agreement. Similarly, Microsoft Connected Vehicle Platform (MCVP) empowers automotive companies to accelerate the delivery of safe, comfortable and personalized connected driving experiences.
“It combines cloud infrastructure, edge technology as well as AI and IoT services with a diverse partner ecosystem. With MCVP, Microsoft offers a consistent, cloud-connected platform across all digital scenarios on top of which customer-facing solutions can be built, including in-vehicle infotainment, advanced navigation, autonomous driving, telematics and prediction services, and over-the-air updates,” the company said, adding that, MCVP includes the hyperscale, global availability, and regulatory compliance that comes with Microsoft Azure.
According to Ericsson’s Senior Vice President and Head of Business Area Technologies and New Businesses Asa Tamsons, the partnership will deliver a comprehensive connected vehicle platform at scale to the market. “Our integrated solutions will help automotive manufacturers accelerate their global connected vehicle solutions and offer a better experience for drivers and passengers,” Tamsons said.