Baidu and Microsoft jointly announced that the two parties will implement cooperation in the intelligent cloud services market to promote the development and popularity of automatic driving technologies.

As a cooperating partner of Baidu's Apollo project, Microsoft will provide support to the Apollo project in international markets outside China via its Azure cloud services.

Baidu launched its Apollo project in April 2017, aiming to provide an open, complete and secure software platform to its cooperation partners in the automobile industry and the self-driving sector. This project will help those partners quickly establish a set of their own automatic driving systems based on their vehicle and hardware system.

The Apollo project will provide a full set of software, hardware, and service solutions, covering vehicle platform, hardware platform, software platform, and cloud data services.

Microsoft has reached deals with leading manufacturers in the automobile industry to help them digest large amounts of data sent back by various automotive sensors. Companies like BMW, Ford, Renault-Nissan, Toyota and Volvo all announced to use Microsoft's intelligent cloud technologies that leverage Internet of Things systems.

As a part of the cooperation, Baidu and Microsoft will seek various opportunities to provide in-vehicle network solutions and unique user experience to promote the digital revolution of the self-driving car industry.