Google teaming up with Ford to create new self-driving vehicle company

[midian182]

Google will reportedly be teaming up with automaker Ford to create a joint venture that will build self-driving cars. The new business will be geared toward “automated ride sharing,” and will be announced at next month’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, according to Yahoo Autos.

A recent report from Bloomberg claimed that Google was planning to make its autonomous car unit a stand-alone business under the Alphabet Inc. umbrella next year. The report went on to say that Google wants to turn the business into an Uber-like ride-hailing service that uses self-driving cars rather than actual drivers. Back in September, Google and Alphabet co-founder Sergey Brin said that automated cars could first appear in the form of a service.

Yahoo Auto’s sources say that the deal is not exclusive, meaning Google would be free to do business with other vehicle manufacturers should it wish.

The collaboration, should it happen, would no doubt be mutually beneficial for both companies. Ford has the infrastructure already in place for producing self-driving vehicles on a large scale, which would save Google billions in costs.

Ford, meanwhile, would be getting an advantage over its rivals – Tesla, Volvo, BMW, Mercedes-Benz - who are also working on automated vehicles. But one of the best aspects of the deal for Ford is that the venture would be legally separate from the company, meaning it would be shielded from liability should any of the self-driving vehicles be involved in a collision.

Both companies have declined to comment on the rumors, but with CES only a few weeks away, we don’t have long to wait to find out if they’re accurate.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/63223-google-reportedly-teaming-up-ford-create-new-self.html

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

If you look at the 1st pic you'll see it works. There are no drivers in the drivers seat, just 3 passengers in the passenger seat in each of the cars.

 

[RustyTech]

If you look at the 1st pic you'll see it works. There are no drivers in the drivers seat, just 3 passengers in the passenger seat in each of the cars.

Wut?
I think you're messing with us...clearly there are people in the driver's seats...

 

[Cycloid Torus]

I want one.

 

[tomkaten]

If you look at the 1st pic you'll see it works. There are no drivers in the drivers seat, just 3 passengers in the passenger seat in each of the cars.

Wut?
I think you're messing with us...clearly there are people in the driver's seats...

He's probably British and counts the bloke on the CORRECT side of the car as a passenger. And the other two are probably headrests




J/k.

 

[Uncle Al]

ROFL ... now, now, now .... let's not pick on the poor bloke!

 

[captaincranky]

If you look at the 1st pic you'll see it works. There are no drivers in the drivers seat, just 3 passengers in the passenger seat in each of the cars.

He's probably British and counts the bloke on the CORRECT side of the car as a passenger. And the other two are probably headrests .

Skids is from South Africa. I don't know as they even have roads down there.

That notwithstanding, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt when I say, "I think he's blowing smoke up your behinds".....

BTW, what'? a "bloke"? Is it anything like a "dude"?

 

[Camikazi]

If you look at the 1st pic you'll see it works. There are no drivers in the drivers seat, just 3 passengers in the passenger seat in each of the cars.

He's probably British and counts the bloke on the CORRECT side of the car as a passenger. And the other two are probably headrests .

Skids is from South Africa. I don't know as they even have roads down there.

That notwithstanding, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt when I say, "I think he's blowing smoke up your behinds".....

BTW, what'? a "bloke"? Is it anything like a "dude"?

Far as I know South Africa is left-hand drive with right-hand steering cars and bloke is like dude or guy I believe.

 

[Patrick Laramee]

If you look at the 1st pic you'll see it works. There are no drivers in the drivers seat, just 3 passengers in the passenger seat in each of the cars.

He's probably British and counts the bloke on the CORRECT side of the car as a passenger. And the other two are probably headrests .

Skids is from South Africa. I don't know as they even have roads down there.

That notwithstanding, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt when I say, "I think he's blowing smoke up your behinds".....

BTW, what'? a "bloke"? Is it anything like a "dude"?

Far as I know South Africa is left-hand drive with right-hand steering cars and bloke is like dude or guy I believe.

We can see the steering wheel in the first 2 car.

 

[captaincranky]

Far as I know South Africa is left-hand drive with right-hand steering cars and bloke is like dude or guy I believe.

Thanks for clearing that up....(y)

We can see the steering wheel in the first 2 car.

So can "we".....

 

[captaincranky]

Look kidz, I found the prototype for Google's self driving car, and it's a "beemer"!

So there you have it, there really is, "nothing new under the sun". Um, considering that's a 1955 model. (Isetta)

Which is basically why Google needs to be begging help from any contemporary automaker who will listen, if only from the standpoint of aesthetics.

 

[p51d007]

I want the car to DEFAULT to manual mode, and the only time automatic mode is enabled, is on the freeway/tollway/interstate for now, and, even if that, I'd be wary of it.
I wonder if automated cars, will be suspicious to us, just as the 1st automobiles were at the dawn of the 20th century, when the horse & buggy were all there was.

 

[captaincranky]

I want the car to DEFAULT to manual mode, and the only time automatic mode is enabled, is on the freeway/tollway/interstate for now, and, even if that, I'd be wary of it.

Oh yeah, that's right where I want to be too, is in the middle of a caravan of semis on the turnpike at rush hour, in a self driving car....(n)

I wonder if automated cars, will be suspicious to us, just as the 1st automobiles were at the dawn of the 20th century, when the horse & buggy were all there was.

I don't think the sheep of today are suspicious of anything that gives them cause to do nothing.

 

[cliffordcooley]

So there you have it, there really is, "nothing new under the sun". Um, considering that's a 1955 model. (Isetta)

Would you look at that, absolutely no blind spots. That's a positive feature. lol

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Skids is from South Africa. I don't know as they even have roads down there.

That notwithstanding, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt when I say, "I think he's blowing smoke up your behinds".....

BTW, what'? a "bloke"? Is it anything like a "dude"?

Yes we do. We recently converted some footpaths to six lane highways only but because the government discovered they could grab toll fees.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Far as I know South Africa is left-hand drive with right-hand steering cars and bloke is like dude or guy I believe.

No it isn't The steering wheels are on the right side of the car but the pedals are on the left side. The gear lever stays in the middle so we can change gears with our butts. We're pretty flexible over here. (y)

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

We can see the steering wheel in the first 2 car.

Are you sure it's not photoshopped?...

 

[Camikazi]

No it isn't The steering wheels are on the right side of the car but the pedals are on the left side. The gear lever stays in the middle so we can change gears with our butts. We're pretty flexible over here. (y)

You guys are both insane and awesome

 

[Phr3d]

Far as I know South Africa is left-hand drive with right-hand steering cars and bloke is like dude or guy I believe.

No it isn't The steering wheels are on the right side of the car but the pedals are on the left side. The gear lever stays in the middle so we can change gears with our butts. We're pretty flexible over here. (y)

Still the high Tariffs on Preparation A-utomatic down under, eh?