CES 2017: Microsoft joins with partners to showcase connected car

By Rebecca Gibson on 03 January 2017

CES 2017: Microsoft joins with partners to showcase connected car

Microsoft, NXP Semiconductors, IAV and automobility partners Cubic Telecom, Esri and Swiss Re will showcase their collective vision of connected cars using an automated driving experience at CES 2017 in Las Vegas, US from 4-8 January.

CES attendees will be able to test drive a concept highly automated vehicle at CES 2017 to understand how the cloud and artificial intelligence can enable personalised in-car experiences.

The concept connected car is powered by IAV’s automated driving technology, which can connect with infrastructure, pedestrians and the Microsoft Azure Cloud to enable the vehicle to react automatically and safely in its surroundings.

“IAV has several test vehicles demonstrating the current state of this future technology in Europe and in the United States,” said Karsten Schulze, senior vice president of active safety and driver assistance at IAV. “Those vehicles have already covered a huge number of miles with almost no intervention from the driver.”

Esri’s mapping and spatial analytics technology, which uses Microsoft Cortana, provides geospatial context to increase safety on the road and improve the overall driver experience. Esri’s enterprise GIS platform services in the Azure Cloud provide the geographic content and analytics to better understand driver behaviour, predict road conditions to improve traffic flow, and share connected car sensor data within the ecosystem. These features allow smart cities to react faster to new issues such as fixing unsafe potholes or removing hazardous objects from the road.

Meanwhile, NXP Semiconductors will highlight how its automotive RoadLINK software improves road safety and traffic flow by facilitating secure communications between vehicles, and between vehicles and the surrounding infrastructure.

In addition, the concept connected car experience will enable Microsoft to show how artificial intelligence bots can improve driver safety, engagement, and integration with calendars and personal preferences. Microsoft’s technology will also analyse current traffic situations and pedestrian density in real time using sensor data and the Microsoft Azure Cloud.

“As cars get smarter, they need more software and analytics capabilities,” said Kevin Dallas, corporate vice president of business development for Microsoft. “This collaboration at CES 2017 is another example of how we work together to continue testing, to see what sticks, and to help automakers bring truly personalised experiences to drivers and services that learn unique behaviours and can make improvements over time.”

CES attendees will also be able to learn how these emerging technologies will enable new, flexible insurance models. Swiss Re will demonstrate how its smart insurance models use Microsoft Azure to simulate personalised, flexible insurance coverage.