Along with the Mixed Reality, Microsoft is now gearing up to the Automobile research. Microsoft has unveiled its infotainment technology for automobiles, named Connected Vehicle Platform. Microsoft claims that automobiles can literally "talk" to each other with the help of this platform. Android supports infotainment with Android Auto and iOS with Apple CarPlay. Microsoft is no less than these apps with the integration of Cortana assistance.
The objective of this platform is to create a web of automobile vehicles - "connected automobiles". Microsoft's Cortana is going to play a major role as the personal assistant while driving the vehicle. It has several functionalities like notifications of messages, calls, mails and more. Under this platform, the feature of "connected automobiles" is achieved through Microsoft Azure Cloud. This feature allows to store the statistics like sensor information, fuel usage, routes travelled, live traffic, and many more. All the data stored is synchronised with the cloud at frequency intervals of time or on user demand. This platform is very much similar to the concept of Internet of Things. But, the note is that the Connected Vehicle Platform can assist you as your personal assistant.
This kind of cloud sync, from the perspective of automobile companies, helps them to assist their customers effectively and efficiently. They can get the live condition of every component of the vehicle and indicate the replacement of parts, if necessary. With the statistics collected, the companies can even improve the efficiency precisely.
For example, there are two customers using the same car for different purposes - one uses the car only with in a metro city and the other uses over a mountain ways. With the statistics collected from the Connected Vehicle Platform, the automobile companies can improve their product accordingly. On the other hand, the user can follow all the details from any connected device, which is very similar concept to IoT. Microsoft is also contacting service providers so that the Connected Vehicle Platform infotainment system allows the user to book a restaurant on-the-go, or book a flight ticket over the ride. However, Microsoft should guarantee information security on this note.
As Nissan is now working on vehicle safety and infotainment, Renault-Nissan alliance have become a partner for developing the Connected Vehicle Platform. Though the automobile giant BMW is working on an infotainment system based on Android, it seems to be joining the alliance. Tata Motors, from India is participating in this project, as it has already unveiled RaceMo sports car with experimental features of Microsoft's infotainment system, as experimental release. Though the platform is attractive and seems to be advanced, Microsoft has several challenges from the makers like Skoda.
With all of its potential, Microsoft is working hard to gain its leadership in the market and in the industry. Hope it succeeds.
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| Microsoft's Cortana infotainment |
This kind of cloud sync, from the perspective of automobile companies, helps them to assist their customers effectively and efficiently. They can get the live condition of every component of the vehicle and indicate the replacement of parts, if necessary. With the statistics collected, the companies can even improve the efficiency precisely.
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| Microsoft infotainment system |
As Nissan is now working on vehicle safety and infotainment, Renault-Nissan alliance have become a partner for developing the Connected Vehicle Platform. Though the automobile giant BMW is working on an infotainment system based on Android, it seems to be joining the alliance. Tata Motors, from India is participating in this project, as it has already unveiled RaceMo sports car with experimental features of Microsoft's infotainment system, as experimental release. Though the platform is attractive and seems to be advanced, Microsoft has several challenges from the makers like Skoda.
With all of its potential, Microsoft is working hard to gain its leadership in the market and in the industry. Hope it succeeds.
