Toyota, Ford team on smartphone-linked 'infotainment' systems

NAGOYA - Toyota Motor will explore the possibility of using Ford Motor's platform for Internet connectivity between smartphones and "infotainment" systems in its cars.

The Japanese automaker made the announcement Thursday, but gave no details other than saying it would consider adopting Ford's SmartDeviceLink (SDL) platform in future releases of Lexus and other models.

This represents the first fruit of the collaboration that the two companies agreed to in 2011 regarding telematics for information services in cars.

It also suggests that automakers are not going to cede the initiative to the likes of Google and Apple and want more say in the connected cars of the future.

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