December 19, 2016

 

In true clickbait fashion, last week’s news cycle was dominated by headlines about Google putting an end to its self-driving car ambitions. The beauty, however, was in the details. Readers needed to think back to 2015 when Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin created Alphabet Inc. as a formal parent company to Google.

Google may be throwing in the towel, but only so that its driverless dreams get the special attention that they need under a spin-off company under its parent company called Waymo.

The company recently released a set of photos of its latest project with Chrysler on their Pacifica model minivan. The only noticeable difference between the Waymo version and the standard Pacifica models are the set of built-in sensors that run along the sides of the van.

In addition to its work with Chrysler, Waymo is also working with Lexus, counting 24 Lexus SUVs in its fleet.

The Chrysler and Waymo partnership comes at an important time for tech giants and automakers, and it’s not the only meeting of the minds. Despite opposition from the state of California, Uber and Volvo have teamed up to swarm the streets of San Francisco with their self-driving SUVs.

With the end-of-year focus on all-things autonomous, the CES Self-Driving Technology marketplace is looking even more promising. Follow along on IEEE Transmitter or on social media with #cesIEEE for updates from the showroom floor.

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