While you can't buy a self-driving car just yet, lots of big businesses are working away in the background to make them a reality. Different companies are hedging bets on different car manufacturers in hopes they'd become the new norm, and Microsoft has just joined the race.

Microsoft's Push Into the Automated Car Industry

Microsoft is expressing its interest in automated cars by teaming up with Cruise, as reported by The Verge.

Cruise is a subsidiary of General Motors and focuses on developing automated cars. Such a development requires a lot of money to get off of the ground, so other big businesses chip in some money in exchange for getting a foot in the door of this exciting new market.

Cruise has previously received support from both Honda and GM, and now Microsoft is eager to get its name known in the future of automobiles. The tech giant has donated a massive $2 billion to Cruise to help get them started, bringing Cruise's total donation amount to $30 billion.

Of course, this move is more than a charitable donation. With this deal, Cruise will now use Microsoft's Azure platform, the software giant's main platform for smart devices.

Microsoft's CEO Satya Nadella said the following:

Advances in digital technology are redefining every aspect of our work and life, including how we move people and goods. As Cruise and GM’s preferred cloud, we will apply the power of Azure to help them scale and make autonomous transportation mainstream.

Microsoft's Push for an Azure Future

While Microsoft hasn't gone on record as to why they've expressed a sudden interest in automated cars, it may simply be due to a desire to have the world rely on Microsoft Azure in the future.

Smart devices are quickly becoming the future. Whether or not this is a good thing is up for debate, as smart devices are a double-edged sword. On one hand, they can talk to one another and get updates in real-time. On the other, you need to follow specific tips to secure Internet of Things (IoT) devices and stop hackers from getting in.

At any rate, Microsoft likely wants the new world of smart devices to rely on its Azure framework. This foray into smart cars is potentially Microsoft's bid to ensure it has a presence in the self-driving car industry, so it doesn't get left behind if and when our cars begin to drive themselves.

Microsoft: the Next Biggest Thing in Automobiles?

With everything turning smart these days, Microsoft is keen to get its Azure framework onto as many devices as possible. If self-driving cars do take off, there's a good chance that the first one you buy will run on Microsoft's codebase.

Self-driving cars definitely sound like a cool concept, but what stops them from colliding with one another? Fortunately, there are systems like SLAM that prevent cars from doing just that.

Image Credit: Pavel Vinnik / Shutterstock.com