Smart car technology to be created through Microsoft-Toyota partnership

Smart car technology to be created through Microsoft-Toyota partnership

Smart car information and communication technology for Toyota vehicles will be developed by Microsoft Corp. under a new $12 million contract signed by the two companies on Wednesday.

Telematics, features that include GPS, telecommunications and multimedia, will be developed and installed by Microsoft and Toyota engineers in future car models.

The new smart car system will compete with leading telematics provider OnStar where General Motors holds a majority stake.

But Microsoft and Toyota plans to have a novel feature involving hybrid electric cars  which will allow plug-in vehicles to communicate with one another and to an electric grid. They will charge themselves in the most cost-efficient alignment.

The system called embedded connectivity technology developed by Microsoft for smart cars will tap into an electric grid to find the perfect timing for charging electric vehicles.

Potentially, this can prevent disruptions of power supply in an area as more electric vehicles use up energy in the future. It will also allow charging depending on the routine of the car owner, in such a way that idle time while the driver is not behind the wheel will be time for a plug-in.

Toyota has already developed its own smart car telematics system called the Toyota Media Service for Lexus vehicles. It will be absorbed by the new project with Microsoft.

The two companies plan to roll-out their new telematics service for Toyota owners by 2015.

Smartphones will also be integral in the implementation of the new system. Drivers will be able to monitor their smart car's battery life, control charging and operate windows and locks through mobile devices.

Posted by James Fried on Wednesday April 06 2011, 11:49 PM EST. Ref: CNN. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Travel. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0