tweddleconnectNuance Communications has acquired Tweddle Connect for $80 million cash, the company announced today.

The acquisition will help Nuance, which acquired Seattle-area startup Swype for $102.5 million back in October 2011, take advantage of Tweddle Connect’s delivery platform for in-car speech-software.

Tweddle Connect is the connected services division of Michigan-based Tweddle Group and has its offices in Bellevue. The company aggregates third-party applications and content from apps like Bing and Pandora, and packages it for listening while driving. Its technology is already installed for in-car entertainment services in Toyota and Lexus vehicles.

Nuance’s voice recognition software is embedded in more than 20 million cars each year and its customers include Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Hyundai, Toyota.

“The strategic combination of Nuance and Tweddle Connect will greatly improve the ability to bring an important category of content – third party applications and web services – into connected car systems,” Michael Thompson, Executive VP and General Manager of Nuance Mobile, said in a press release. “With this acquisition, Nuance is leveraging an opportunity to increase the value and usability of connected car systems, while accelerating Nuance’s ability to give automakers the elements needed for branded, differentiated connected car experiences.”

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2013. We’ve reached out to Nuance and Tweddle to find out what’s happening with Tweddle’s Bellevue offices and will update when we hear back. (Update, 3:40 P.M. — Nuance would not disclose plans for those in the Tweedle Bellevue office. Nuance does have a major research and development office in Seattle.)

Earlier this month, we enjoyed having Nuance vice president and former Swype CEO Mike McSherry as a guest at our first-ever live radio show. He told a behind-the-scenes story about Swype’s discussions with Scott Forstall, then Apple’s senior vice president in charge of iOS, about making the Swype technology work on the iPhone.

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