Microsoft Cloud helps Ford and Lincoln owners keep tabs on their car
In today’s mobile-first world, cloud technology on our mobile devices has clearly transformed our personal lives. On the business side of things, a recent Harvard Business Review study sponsored by Microsoft, where manufacturers were among the top three industry respondents, found that cloud, mobile, big data and social technologies are also having a positive impact.
But it goes far beyond boosting efficiencies or cutting costs. Two of the top three areas where these technologies are having the biggest impact are improving customer service (53 percent) and developing new services (50 percent).
The automotive industry is a tremendous example of this digital transformation in business, leading the charge in using cloud computing, data analytics and intelligent devices to adopt new business models to deliver personalized experiences and new services to consumers from anywhere.
And there’s nowhere where the opportunity is greater to improve customer service and develop new services than in the vehicle itself. The connected-car experience is the future of the automotive industry, on track to be a $141 billion business by 2020 .
Microsoft is committed to helping the auto industry bring its cars into the mobile-first, cloud-first world, using their brand and data to create ongoing relationships with customers. We are powering connected-car innovations from the cloud platform, to data analytics capabilities, to the software that lights up all of the consumer experiences.
As innovation moves forward, we are thrilled to be able to share our latest work with Ford Motor Company, announcing that Ford will expand connected services for customers around the world with the creation of the cloud-based Ford Service Delivery Network, powered by Microsoft Azure.
Preparing for the ownership experience of the future, Ford will enable new ways for its customers to interact with their vehicles and stay connected at all times. As consumers shift toward more cloud-based services, the Ford Service Delivery Network architecture is a strategic approach to keep vehicles up-to-date and relevant throughout the vehicle ownership period by making it easy to add or evolve services.
The Service Delivery Network will provide Ford a global platform to enable over-the-air software updates as well as expanded availability of MyFord and MyLincoln Mobile connected services with features like scheduled remote start, vehicle finder, and vehicle status (fuel or charge level, tire pressure). With customer deployment starting later this year, the service will enable Ford to bring new connected features to market faster and offer flexibility for the future.
You can read more about the exciting details of the news in my post over on the Microsoft Business Matters blog .
Twitter at @MSFTmfg.
LinkedIn: Sanjay Ravi
Twitter: @sanrav
