LAS VEGAS – CES 2023 marked 16 years since Ford and Microsoft introduced the automaker’s SYNC system, the first phone and cloud-based automotive infotainment platform. That’s an eon in a technological time frame and Microsoft’s rivals Apple and Google now dominate automotive infotainment with their CarPlay and Android Auto platforms.

While Microsoft may no longer be front and center on the vehicle’s dashboard, the software powerhouse of late has been gaining automotive momentum and market share in less obvious ways. The company’s Azure cloud platform and accompanying expertise in edge computing and artificial intelligence, for example, is helping automakers produce next-generation software-defined vehicles, better manage supply chains and …