Renault-Nissan, Microsoft partner to develop next-gen driving tech
Staff
General Automotive RenaultThe partnership will explore connected services for vehicles powered by Microsoft Azure intelligent cloud offering.
The Renault-Nissan Alliance and Microsoft are collaborating in a multiyear agreement to develop the latest in advanced connected driving technology.
The partnership will explore connected services for vehicles powered by Microsoft Azure, an intelligent cloud offering, including advanced navigation, predictive maintenance, remote monitoring of car features, external mobile experiences and over-the-air updates.
By 2020, the Renault-Nissan Alliance plans to develop connectivity technologies to support more than 10 vehicles with autonomous driving capabilities.
“A car is becoming increasingly connected, intelligent and personal,” said Ogi Redzic, Renault-Nissan Alliance senior vice-president, Connected Vehicles and Mobility Services. “Partnering with Microsoft allows us to accelerate the development of the associated key technologies needed to enable scenarios our customers want and build all-new ones they haven’t even imagined. We aim to become the provider of connected mobility for everyone with one single global platform.”
The Microsoft Azure cloud platform will enable the automakers to deliver next-gen tech to a worldwide customer base. Renault-Nissan selected Azure because of its enterprise-grade security and Microsoft’s rigorous commitment to compliance. Azure supports multiple operating systems, programming languages and tools, providing flexibility and choice to build a common platform for Renault-Nissan to deploy services to both Alliance brands.
“While the connected car experience is in its infancy, we believe there’s so much potential to dramatically change the industry,” said Jean-Philippe Courtois, executive vice president and president, Microsoft Global Sales, Marketing and Operations, Microsoft. “We are partnering to accelerate Renault-Nissan’s mobile and cloud strategies and unlock new experiences for their customers.”
Currently the auto alliance is working to develop best-in-class infotainment and location-based services that will allow drivers to personalize their vehicle experience. The cloud platform will enable over-the-air updates of latest autonomous drive software and collision-avoidance applications. Drivers will be able to monitor the car from anywhere, transfer control to other passengers without needing a physical key, trigger remote charging or locking and unlocking the doors. This partnership aims to product the vehicle using tracking software and provide access to advance vehicle diagnostic services.
