Toyota Licenses Microsoft’s Connected-Vehicle Patents

Microsoft Corp. says it has made a nonexclusive deal to license its suite of in-car software to Toyota Motor Corp. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The patent agreement gives Toyota access to Microsoft’s vehicle operating system, cyber security, voice recognition, artificial intelligence and other software packages.

The companies have been collaborating since last April, when Toyota launched Texas-based Toyota Connected Inc. to pursue ways to wirelessly connect vehicles with each other and their surroundings. The carmaker uses Microsoft’s Azure cloud technology to expand Toyota’s data management and services.