Dutch location specialist TomTom is extending its collaboration with Microsoft to help developers incorporate mapping and location capabilities for IoT and asset-tracking applications.

TomTom’s maps and traffic data will power location-based services across Microsoft’s products, reaching hundreds of millions of people and organisations daily. The companies will work closely on bringing innovations to market, including AI-infused products. In addition, TomTom is reaffirming Microsoft Azure as its preferred cloud provider.

The agreement reflects TomTom and Microsoft’s commitment to delivering location technology to businesses and consumers. TomTom powers Azure Maps, which, through the Azure cloud platform, lets enterprises and developers incorporate rich mapping and location capabilities into applications ranging from spatial analytics to IoT and asset tracking.

TomTom’s location technology is also used in Microsoft’s first-party offerings. AI-powered search engine Bing, data visualisation tool Microsoft Power BI, Microsoft 365 and others use TomTom’s maps and services to support their location-based features.

TomTom and Microsoft will collaborate on product innovation, using Microsoft’s AI prowess and TomTom’s location technology experience to develop AI-powered products for the automotive, logistics and broader mobility domains.

“We are excited to strengthen our relationship with Microsoft,” said Harold Goddijn, chief executive officer at TomTom. “Microsoft is already rolling out TomTom’s Traffic, based on our new TomTom Orbis Maps, and we look forward to further supporting them with the freshest and most accurate location data. Through this collaboration, we will create innovative, AI-based products that are set to deliver customer value.”

Nicholas Lee, corporate vice president at Microsoft, added: “Our collaboration with TomTom is built on a shared vision for location-based customer value. We’re pleased about the product innovations that we will be able to bring to life as part of our continued relationship, with the added support of Microsoft’s AI technologies. By hosting their services in Microsoft Azure, TomTom’s location technology interfaces seamlessly with our services, benefiting customers across industries.”

TomTom (www.tomtom.com) and Microsoft (www.microsoft.com) have been working together since 2016, with TomTom powering Microsoft’s Azure Maps location services, and the companies later expanding their cooperation to mapping data and services for Microsoft’s first-party offerings. As a natural evolution of their relationship, the companies have also been collaborating in automotive, driving innovation for generative AI-powered automotive products, and developing an in-vehicle digital cockpit and infotainment offering with cloud analytics.