Toyota and Microsoft Announce New IP Licensing Agreement for Connected Cars

Recently, Japanese automaker, Toyota Motor Corporation, and the American hardware and software company, Microsoft Corporation, in the first licensing agreement of this kind, announced that they had entered into a new patent licensing agreement related to connected car technologies. Connected car technologies is a broad term for vehicles with Internet connectivity which includes tools for storing and transferring files, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. Toyota and Microsoft already have a history of cooperation both through the Toyota Connected program and with Toyota being an early adopter of Microsoft’s Azure IP Advantage Program

Also as part of this initiative, Japanese telecom provider, NTT, issued a press release stating that the two companies plan on working together in order to develop, verify, and standardize connected car related technologies. Additionally, Microsoft announced a wider initiative with the hopes of encouraging IP licensing among all connected car developers.