Last year Ford brought on the startup Autonomic to create the Transportation Mobility Cloud, or TMC, to build "smart" car applications for real-time data and connectivity in cars. On Tuesday, Ford announced Amazon Web Services will power the cloud-based platform.

The platform has since been available for all car makers, not just Ford. It creates a space for services and apps, like those used for parking, real-time traffic information, and in-car payment options. Think of it like the Apple App Store, but with apps and services made solely for the car.