Ericsson, Microsoft partner for next generation of connected cars

Stockholm-based networking giant Ericsson and software company Microsoft are working together to accelerate delivery of connected car services. 

Ericsson is building its connected vehicle cloud on top of the Microsoft connected vehicle platform, which runs on the Microsoft Azure cloud platform.

The integration of Ericsson's connected vehicle cloud and Microsoft connected vehicle platform (MCVP) will reduce complexity, enable innovation, and simplify the application development in the automotive industry, a statement said. 

“Our integrated solutions will help automotive manufacturers accelerate their global connected vehicle solutions and offer a better experience for drivers and passengers,” Åsa Tamsons, senior vice president and head of business area technologies and new businesses at Ericsson said.

The integrated solution will allow automakers to deploy and scale vehicle services such as fleet management, over-the-air software updates and connected safety services faster while reducing costs.

“The platform is tailored to fit vehicle manufacturers’ growing demand for scalability and flexibility with the capability of supporting any connected vehicle service.” Said a statement released by the company.

The global connected car market size is projected to reach $ 212.7 billion by 2027, from an estimated value of $ 42.6 billion in 2019, at a CAGR of 22.3%, according to the research firm Markets and Markets. 

The MCVP helps automotive companies to accelerate the delivery of safe, comfortable and personalized connected driving experience. It combines cloud infrastructure, edge technology as well as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) services with a diverse partner ecosystem.

“Together with Ericsson, we intend to simplify the development of connected vehicle services to help carmakers focus on their customers’ needs and accelerate the delivery of unique, tailor-made driving experiences,” Peggy Johnson, executive vice president, business development at Microsoft said.

With MCVP, Microsoft offers a cloud-connected platform across all digital scenarios on top of which customer-facing solutions can be built. This includes in-vehicle infotainment, advanced navigation, autonomous driving, telematics and prediction services, and over-the-air updates. 

Redmond, Washington based Microsoft had earlier tried carmakers to embed Windows inside their vehicles. Now, MCVP and is trying to get vehicles to connect to its cloud services like its Azure, Office 365 and other applications. The company has recently partnered with Tata Communications to work on connected car applications. 

Ericsson has also signed a five-year deal with automaker Volvo. Last year, German carmaker Volkswagon bought a controlling stake in Volvo’s connected car arm. Both Microsoft and Volkwagon have together been working on connected car services.