Microsoft will be working closely with Toyota to churn out a new automotive telecommunications platform that will be based on Windows Azure. Just what will this telecommunications platform offer to the end users? For starters, it will help manage the energy efficiency of electric cars as well as hybrids whenever they recharge from the mains. According to CEO Microsoft Steve Ballmer, this platform will come into existence thanks to the powere of cloud computing, allowing tasks to be carried out remotely while paving the way for integration of information between car, home and smartphone. Imagine using this platform to regular your vehicle’s temperature from the phone, or even check your car’s battery level remotely while optimizing the process of charging the car whenever it is cheaper to do so. Expect this kind of technology to hit the market from 2012 onwards in electric cars and hybrids from Toyota, with an eventual roadmap to make this a reality across 170 countries.