In collaboration with Microsoft, Ola is looking forward to building a new connected vehicle platform for car manufacturers worldwide. Ola Play is the company’s existing connected car platform. Ola has declared that they prefer Microsoft to be their cloud provider, and they will use Microsoft Azure to power Ola Play.
This collaboration is expected to transform driver and passenger experiences. Vehicle diagnostics, improved in-car productivity, advanced navigation, and predictive maintenance of vehicles are believed to bring huge improvements. This platform will bring together car manufacturers from around the globe and create an integrated vehicle system.
Ola Play will be at the center of all this. It is going to be the world’s first connected car platform for ridesharing. It will leverage Microsoft AI and IoT in order to enhance driver experiences with telematics, navigation guidance, and passenger experiences; with cloud-based infotainment and productivity. Custom digital experiences for their customers will be provided to auto manufacturers.
Productivity tools such as Office 365, Skype for Business, voice-assisted controls built using Microsoft Cognitive Services, and Bot framework will be made available in the car for Ola Play customers during their rides. The usual car will be transformed into a high-performing intelligent vehicle, capable of assessing fuel efficiency, engine performance, and driver performance, with the help of the advanced telematics platform. Smarter navigation and breakdown predictions are some of the predicted advancements. The motto of this platform is to enhance safety and security while creating new business models and opportunities.
Satya Nadella, CEO Microsoft was quite clear about his intentions while saying
Today’s car is quickly becoming the ultimate computing device and together with Ola, we’re focused on providing more intelligent, connected and productive experiences to our customers. The combination of Microsoft Azure, Office 365, and our AI platform with Ola Play will deliver new customer experiences and business opportunities across the automotive ecosystem.
Globally, the auto industry is experiencing a seismic shift as the definition of automobiles is increasingly changing from gas-powered vehicles to technology-packed, connected devices. With Ola Play, we have already set the tone for connected vehicles in India; together with Microsoft, we can make the new platform available to a larger, global audience and unlock futuristic experiences for customers worldwide.-said Bhavish Aggarwal, Co-Founder and CEO of Ola
One of the most interesting things about this platform is that it will continually collect high volumes of data and user behavior. It will analyze and learn from the collected data. Based on the result of the analysis, it will come up with customized suggestions to shape the nature of services and business models like usage-based insurance. Microsoft and Ola are also working on superior safety features and advanced driver assistance services.
Ola Play was launched in late 2016. It didn’t take much time to transform the in-car experience for millions of Indians. The range of connected experiences that the customers can seamlessly control from this app installed in their smart devices has made commutes more productive and enjoyable. With advanced telematics, productivity tools, and intelligent cloud integrations as part of this collaboration, it looks like Ola and Microsoft are building the future of connected vehicles together.
How do you think this collaboration is going to help Ola improve? Are you excited about it? Do let us know in the comments section below.
