Volkswagen Group will work with Microsoft to develop an Automated Driving Platform on Azure.
The platform builds upon the Volkswagen Automotive Cloud, which the two companies have been partnered on since 2018.
Perhaps they can use Azure to accurately track emissions
The Volkswagen Automotive Cloud is meant to integrate all of the digital services and mobility offerings across Volkswagen's brands like Audi and Porsche.
VW.AC allows data to be exchanged between vehicles and the cloud through Azure Edge services, and also is used to update vehicle software. The first VW.AC test fleets are expected to be released this year, with a production rollout for 2022.
Building upon this work, VW and Microsoft are now developing a cloud-based Automated Driving Platform (ADP).
Last year, VW brought a bunch of its autonomous and driver-assistance research groups under one subsidiary, Car.Software. But each team used its own software and IT providers. Now, they will all use Azure on the ADP.
“As we transform Volkswagen Group into a digital mobility provider, we are looking to continuously increase the efficiency of our software development," said Dirk Hilgenberg, CEO of the Car.Software.
"We are building the Automated Driving Platform with Microsoft to simplify our developers’ work through one scalable and data-based engineering environment. By combining our comprehensive expertise in the development of connected driving solutions with Microsoft’s cloud and software engineering know-how, we will accelerate the delivery of safe and comfortable mobility services."
Last month, Microsoft became GM's "preferred cloud provider" after the Redmond-business invested $2bn into GM's self-driving subsidiary, Cruise.
