TomTom to be the backbone of Azure location services

TomTom and Microsoft have teamed up to help firms tap into location data

TomTom has teamed up with American tech giant Microsoft to integrate its location services into the Azure cloud computing platform.

From today, Azure customers have direct access to TomTom's API from Microsoft's cloud software, allowing them to build an array of location services.

Users can access popular TomTom features such as search, geocoding, routing, traffic and maps. Microsoft said adoption of this technology gives it a "competitive edge" in the cloud computing space.

Azure LBS (Location Based Services) customers can gain insight from location data through TomTom's feedback loop ecosystem, which is a global community of users pushing their map and traffic data into the platform.

Microsoft said companies can use this data for "customisation and opportunities" in a range of areas, including connected cars, smart cities, industrial applications, retail and IoT.

In terms of cities, officials could tap into this data to improve traffic, and businesses would be able to better manage logistics, fleets and customer engagement.

And, as for automotive firms, they could use this data to monitor the way customers drive and ensure they avoid accidents - or to find routes with better mobile connectivity.

Sam George, partner director of Azure IoT, praised the partnership. "TomTom equips us with the infrastructure to provide updates quickly and incrementally to our customers, enabling us to provide the most up-to-date information," he said.

"We're excited about this partnership and the benefits it will bring to our millions of Azure users as well as the impact this will have in advancing the technological future forward."

Anders Truelsen, managing Director of BU Licensing, is working with Microsoft to bring his company's data into the Azure fold. "Location is increasingly becoming an essential component to monitor, analyse and optimise the vast amount of connected devices," he said.

"Adding location based services to Azure will create a more fluid and flexible platform for developers to build and manage these location-aware applications."

"We're excited to be working with a company like Microsoft to make our data more accessible than ever."