Hybrid Vehicles And Cloud Computing Join Forces (TM, MSFT)

Toyota TM recently just sold its one-millionth Prius hybrid in the United States. However, the Japanese automaker isn't resting on its laurels. The company wants to bring telematics to a vehicle near you. The burgeoning technology brings telecommunications and information/data capabilities into vehicles. In addition to multimedia technology and GPS systems, telematics also includes energy management systems. Toyota has partnered with Microsoft MSFT to develop advanced telematic applications that will run on Microsoft's cloud based Windows Azure Platform. The companies plan to have new telematics installed in the automaker's 2012 electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. The partnership is seen as a big step towards Toyota's goal of linking people, automobiles and homes together. This will allow Toyota's customers to manage their energy consumption via a cloud based system. The goal is that consumers will be able to analyze their driving habits/energy consumption and ultimately use that data to make informed decisions. Toyota hopes to establish a complete global cloud platform by 2015. Both parties plan to invest nearly 1 billion yen into the joint venture. While it is too soon to gauge the effectiveness of the project, it is an interesting development in cloud computing. Investors looking to cash in on the early wave of telematics applications may want to look at Mr. Softy.