Microsoft and Toyota to build telematics platform based on Microsoft cloud

Microsoft and Toyota announced on April 6 a partnership via which Toyota’s next-generation telematics platform will be built using Microsoft Windows Azure and SQL Azure.

The New telematics platform will encompass GPS, energy management and multimedia technologies.

The first cars to take advantage of the new platform will be Toyota’s electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in 2012.

Toyota’s longer-term goal is to establish a complete global cloud platform by 2015 that will provide telematics services to their customers globally.