TomTom and Microsoft Team Up to Bring AI-Powered Voice Assistant to Cars

TomTom and Microsoft have joined forces to create a new AI-powered voice assistant for the automotive industry. The voice assistant, which leverages Microsoft’s generative AI technology, allows drivers to interact with their vehicles in a more natural and intuitive way.

The voice assistant can handle complex voice commands for infotainment, location search, and vehicle control systems. For example, drivers can ask the voice assistant to find the nearest gas station, adjust the temperature, or change the music, all in one sentence. The voice assistant also integrates with TomTom’s Digital Cockpit, an open, modular platform for in-vehicle infotainment.

The solution uses Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, which provides access to large language models, as well as Azure Kubernetes Services, Azure Cosmos DB, and Azure Cognitive Services. The voice assistant can be customized and branded by automotive customers, who can also benefit from faster time-to-market and better driver experience.

TomTom and Microsoft have been working together since 2016, when TomTom powered Azure Maps location services. The partnership later expanded to include mapping data and services for Microsoft’s first-party maps. The companies are now collaborating on automotive solutions.

“By combining our navigation and technology expertise with Microsoft’s generative AI, we are driving innovation and providing our customers with even better solutions,” said Mike Schoofs, Chief Revenue Officer, TomTom. “We are transforming the in-vehicle experience, enabling drivers to ask their car for anything and trust it will deliver.”

Dominik Wee, Corporate Vice President for Manufacturing and Mobility, Microsoft, said: “This next generation of AI offers a unique opportunity to accelerate innovation across the entire automotive sector. We are building on our longstanding collaboration with TomTom and bringing together AI advances across the Microsoft Cloud with TomTom’s automotive expertise to provide drivers and carmakers with new AI-powered tools. This integration will enable OEMs to offer highly differentiated and unique cockpit experiences, while preserving their unique brand identity.”