Google Reveals Plans To Partner With Top-Tier OEMs On Self-Driving Cars

Google co-founder Sergey Brin made a surprise appearance this week at an event that was dedicated to a media demo of the company’s self-driving car prototype, providing further indication the $428-billion search giant is working diligently to bring autonomous driving to the public.

Answering 15 minutes of questions ranging from queries about building its fleet to discussions about the joys of driving on an open road with no traffic, Brin made it clear that Google has decided to dedicate resources to this pursuit because of the unique ability of technology to provide a solution.

“It may sound weird, but I find us actually challenged for resources considering the things we hope to accomplish,” Brin said, which was followed by laughs from the audience. “We look for big important problems that can be served by technology, and transportation is a big challenge of our time. Traffic has a cost on society and individuals. We saw a real opportunity to use tech to address this one. It’s coming along well, and I hope we can have this meeting in a few years when we will have made a small dent in this issue.”

Brin continued by explaining that he frequently takes rides in Google’s self-driving cars, which include radar and camera-packed Lexus SUVs, as well as Google’s new two-person prototype vehicle.

“In my rides, a number of times they’ve really impressed me and I’ve gained an appreciation for the 360-degree awareness, maybe when it swerves when someone does something sudden, where I would slam on the brakes,” said Brin. “It’s been eye-opening to me to see where self-driving can outperform human ability. But there’s a lot of potential for this tech to change how communities work, to give access to people underserved by transportation. That day is coming closer.”

Brin also said that he expects the technology giant to team up with “top-tier OEMs” when it ultimately brings its self-driving cars to market. He explained that the company intends to focus at first on shared cars, like self-driving taxis, but will eventually explore the concept of using its technology in personally owned vehicles as well.

“It remains open exactly how we’re going to roll it out,” said Brin. “In the near term, there’s a real upshot of making it a service, which enables a lot of people to try it out.” It would also be useful “to have the vehicle back to us every day,” he added, for the purpose of refining the technology.

Google has been working on self-driving cars since 2009, and the company unveiled a custom-designed two-seat prototype last year. The car was built in Michigan by Roush Enterprises, and the vehicle uses parts from established suppliers, including Bosch and Continental.

Of course, car companies such as Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are also racing to perfect autonomous driving for luxury cars. When asked whether or not Google intends to build cars, Brin showed reluctance, saying that the company will rely on partners instead.

“We’re open to many ways of using this technology,” said Brin. “This would not be the number one use case for the car.” However, he said that he could imagine a personal car using Google’s technology “where you can switch on and off the autonomy.”

“I think that’s an important use,” he added. “I think this technology is going to benefit a lot of people and I’d like to see it be available in the future in as many situations as possible.”