Google gives independence to its autonomous cars – The Point

The group Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has announced on Tuesday to give its independence to its division in charge of developing autonomous cars, which has carried out a test in real conditions with a blind, first.

All the projects of this unit will now be housed in a new entity named Waymo.

“This is a sign that the technology is mature”, says John Krafick, the boss of Waymo, who was previously responsible of the project of the technology developed autonomous for about seven years by Google. It could soon be commercialized.

“We can imagine that our technology can be used in passenger vehicles, car-sharing and public transport, has listed Mr. Krafick.

eventually, the uses of technology autonomous could be extended to different domains, “creating a number of new types of products, jobs and services”, says the officer.

Waymo, whose cars are in testing now to accumulate the most miles possible and recognize the various obstacles, now wants to move to the next step: the use of autonomous cars to accompany people in their daily lives (make purchases or go to work).

In this perspective and to convince the skeptics, the group said to have made the 20 October 2015, a test in traffic conditions real with a blind man.

Steve Mahan has made the trip alone on a Google Car in the suburbs of Austin, Texas, says Waymo.

“The sensors fitted to the car and the software were its driver,” says Waymo, who adds that its autonomous cars can now detect emergency vehicles (ambulances, police, fire…), dealing with different types of pavements and traffic lights and anticipate the unpredictable reactions of human beings on the road.

“The roads that he borrowed reflect what millions of people would do with the car autonomous in their daily lives: visit a park or to the doctor, crossing different neighbourhoods,” concludes Waymo.

It has not, however, commented on press information according to which he would have waived to go it alone and would like to focus on partnerships with automotive manufacturers that are traditional.

autonomous vehicles are considered with the electric as the future of the automobile, are currently attracting great interest as the major global automakers that many of the major players in the sector of technology, with first production in the series promised around the year 2020.

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13/12/2016 20:23:28 – San Francisco, 13 dec 2016 (AFP) – © 2016 AFP