Toyota on Monday announced that it would be partnering with Amazon's cloud computing division on a new program.

Through the partnership, the Japanese automaker and e-commerce giant seek to "develop, deploy, and manage the next generation of data-driven mobility services for driver and passenger safety, security, comfort, and convenience in Toyota’s cloud-connected vehicles," according to a press release.

Toyota noted that this partnership will help it develop ride-sharing services, behavior-based insurance models, and maintenance notifications. Prior to this deal, Toyota had already been partnered with Amazon through its Web Services division.

Amazon has increasingly been making moves to partner with car companies. Last month, the e-commerce giant announced a partnership between its Web Services division and Volkswagen. The aim of this partnership, according to the automaker, was to build its cloud platforms into an “industry wide marketplace” for the exchange of industrial applications.

According to Nihar Patel, Volkswagen's executive vice president for strategic core, the move will provide a faster path towards the mechanization and digitalization of a number of factory operations.

Toyota and Volkswagen are the second and third largest automakers in the world in terms of market capitalization, respectively. They are topped only by Tesla, which does not have a deal in place with Amazon. Amazon Web Services is currently utilized by the like of Uber, Avis Budget Group, BMW, Formula One, and numerous other entities in the automotive industry.

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Toyota, like other global car markers, has been battered by the coronavirus AFP / Kenzo TRIBOUILLARD
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