What the Hell is Happening With Google's Autonomous Car?

Matt Posky
by Matt Posky

Technology companies need to stop attempting to build cars. This is all getting too convoluted.

Despite working at it longer than anyone else, Google appeared to be pulling out of the race to be the first tech company to produce an autonomous electric vehicle — a familiar fate for those who foray into the automotive world without a surfeit of experience. Apple’s Project Titan suffered a similar fate after multiple postponements to the vehicle’s intended release, strategy disagreements, large-scale layoffs, and the loss of key leadership assigned to the self-driving vehicle’s development.

Building a car is a serious undertaking, so it isn’t surprising that Google had to throw in the towel. The only problem is that, after quitting, Google announced that it was more committed to the goal of producing an autonomous vehicle than ever before.

The Information initially reported that Alphabet CEO Larry Page and CFO Ruth Porat were believed to be behind a decision to scale the Google car project back into oblivion. Apparently, someone felt that the concept of producing an fully autonomous vehicle without a steering wheel or pedals might be a little too radical. Instead, they decided that it might be more practical to partner with traditional automakers and produce a vehicle consumers were more accustomed to.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is already building a fleet of Pacifica-based test vehicles for Google. Assuming testing is successful, those units will reportedly move ahead for commercial service.

The assumption was that the Pacifica-based vehicles would be used as driverless ride-hailing vehicles while Google helped automakers perfect their own autonomous technology — abandoning the “Google Car” project in the process.

Then it was announced that Google’s self-driving car unit will now become an entirely separate company called Waymo, operating under Alphabet Inc.’s umbrella.

“It’s an indication of the maturity of our technology,” said John Krafcik, former CEO of Google Cars and now leader of Waymo, at a San Francisco press conference. “We can imagine our self-driving tech being used in all sorts of areas.”

Alphabet is describing Waymo as “a self-driving tech company with a mission to make it safe and easy for people and things to move around.” Meanwhile, Google will stick to licensing its self-driving technology to third-party companies and quickly distance itself from a production vehicle.

“We’ll continue to have access of infrastructure and resources Alphabet provides, but we also have this feeling of being a venture-backed startup,” said Krafcik.

I hate to break it to John, but venture-backed startups haven’t done so well in the automotive industry lately. The company hasn’t explained when or how it will be generating revenue and Krafcik declined to discuss Waymo’s business strategy. Despite the claim that Google is “doubling down” on its efforts to build a physical vehicle with Waymo, the timing and language used isn’t confidence-inspiring.

“We are a self-driving technology company. We’ve been really clear that we are not a car company,” Krafcik said. “We are not in the business making better cars, we are in the business of making better drivers.”

[Source: Reuters] [Image: Google]

Matt Posky
Matt Posky

A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.

More by Matt Posky

Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 40 comments
  • Master Baiter Master Baiter on Dec 14, 2016

    Google pursues their myriad of boondoggles because Wall Street laps it up. "...and over here we have our perpetual motion design team." "...we just opened a design center in Seattle to develop the fountain of youth." "...and here we have our crack team committed to generating unlimited energy from sea water." Google hasn't proven they can make a dime from anything other than being the yellow pages of the internet.

  • Johncarterr Johncarterr on Jul 21, 2018

    I’m not sure about the legal ramifications, but I think from a common sense and safety standpoint you would still want to wear seat belts in a moving car, as we have seen autonomous cars are not immune from getting into severe crashes e.g. another vehicle could still plow into you and airbags work better with restrained passengers. Also autonomous vehicles may still have a provision for the driver to take over if something is going wrong, in which case you still want to be sober and attentive. But I understand your perspective that autonomous vehicles can open the door to having more fun while not having to worry about driving.

  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
  • ToolGuy Ford is good at drifting all right... 😉
Next