The Mountain View giant, after many years and efforts, gives up on making its self-driving car on its own and looks for solid partnerships
Google - according to information from spread by the site The Information - is re-evaluating its plans to develop a driverless car. It hasn't completely given up on the idea, but prefers to partner with some more "conventional" automakers in order to launch the first models by the end of next year.
The choice has fallen, at the moment, on Fiat Chrysler, which is producing the new prototype of a driverless vehicle for Google using the Pacifica minivan as a base. Should the tests be as successful as hoped, this car will be used for eventual commercial service. The two companies have already signed a partnership agreement to jointly develop minivans starting in May. This is, more or less, the same strategy announced by Apple a few months ago when it shelved its Titan project to create a driverless electric car, preferring to focus only on technology and leaving the actual realization to companies in the sector.
Some believed it
It is said that behind this decision there are CEO Larry Page and his financial director Ruth Porat who, after years of investment, realized that producing a driverless car by themselves was impossible. This is a choice not shared by all those who are part of the Google X project - known as "Chauffeur" - which also includes Sergey Brin, the other co-founder of Google. The Mountain View giant has not yet released an official statement on the future of the project expected in a few days.
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