It is official! Toyota and Ford are joining forces to fight Apple and Google's initiative to promote controlling cars in the future, and they also urge and invite other automobile makers to join them. The two giant car manufacturers are said to be adopting the same software that will link smartphone apps to their vehicle dashboard screens.

Toyota and Ford are adopting the Ford-developed software called SmartDeviceLink (SDL) as their standard for connecting their vehicle dashboard screens to smartphone apps. Other automobile makers may join them soon as automakers like PSA Peugeot Citroën, Mazda, Honda and Subaru are currently investigating on the possibility of adapting SDL for their vehicles.

But how does SDL work? The SDL technology integrates smartphone apps into vehicles through display screens, dashboard buttons and voice recognition technology. Using this technology could help lessen Toyota's and Ford's dependence on Apple or Google. The use of SDL can also help keep a more tight control on their consumer data. Also, adapting SDL may help automobile makers in China, which is currently the world's largest auto market.

The collaboration between Toyota and Ford is not new as it is revealed to have already been years in the making. It started in 2011, when the two biggest names in the automobile industry collaborated on a new standard for vehicle telematics. Two years later, Ford managed to buy software company Livio. Livio is responsible for the SDL.

Then last year in June, Toyota has begun exploring using the Livio system in its vehicles. After Toyota finished its exploring phase, the automobile maker moved on ahead and is now using SDL as its platform for its in-car connectivity. Both Toyota and Ford hope that many more automakers will be convinced and that a lot more in the automobile industry will catch on.

So far there are no other details yet on when consumers can expect to purchase SDL-equipped cars. But it will happen soon, since it has been officially announced by both car makers that they are using SDL on their cars.