Google Has No Plans to Make Self-Driving Car Alone

Dec 24, 2014 11:30 AM EST | Matt Mercuro

Despite its intention to create a fully-automated car, Google has no plans on becoming a car company.

The internet giant is looking to partner with traditional automakers in order to create its self-driving technology.

"We don't particularly want to become a car maker," Chris Urmson, the director of Google's self-driving car project, said to The Wall Street Journal. "We are talking (with) and looking for partners."

Executives in Detroit and in other countries have been approached by Google to help out with the technology like designs that would entail no steering wheel.

A number of companies have made strides in developing driverless car technology. Back in October, Telsa Motors added a limited autopilot feature to the new D line of its Model S vehicles.

Mercedes-Benz's new S-Class is equipped with "traffic jam assist" which allows the car to automatically follow the vehicle in front at low speeds.

Cars that can drive completely on their own are still a long way away before becoming available at dealerships.

Regulatory and insurance issues will have to be settled first. The technology also faces serous ethical concerns, specifically what happens if an accident becomes unavoidable.

"People are philosophizing about it," Ron Medford, the director of safety on Google's self-driving car project, said to the Associated Press last month, "but the question about real-world capability and real-world events that can affect us, we really haven't studied that issue."

Currently, Google's self-driving car also doesn't know how to avoid potholes, deal with rain and snow, and relies too much on extensive mapping programs that mark every stationary object.

Google says its test cars have logged 700,000 miles, but that's all been on the same roads, according to Slate.

Nissan, BMW and GM are also working on self-driving technology.

Make sure to check back one more information on Google's self-driving car and when any partnerships with other companies get announced. 

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