Will Google's self-driving unit be part of the first self-driving taxi company?
According to Bloomberg Business, Google is thinking of using its self-driving vehicles to form a self-driving company resembling Uber, and it will be a stand alone business under Alphabet Inc. The multinational company is allegedly planning to start the project by making the vehicle available in small venues like college campuses, military bases and parks.
The self-driving vehicle game has fueled up since Google started developing a counter to Uber Technologies Inc last February. Other car companies including Uber are also doing their research on their own version of autonomous vehicles, and countless test self-driving in California prove this to be true.
Google has relentlessly worked on their automotive technology since 2009, and it is now unraveling its plans of gaining profit from their efforts.
Thilo Koslowski, vice president and automotive practice leader at Gartner Inc. has given his opinion on the implication of Google's next step. He says, "These potential ride-for-hire services could allow consumers to experience the technology and embrace it in a bigger way. That would help not just Google but the entire industry."
In September, Google expressed that they are not aiming to mass-produce vehicles right away, after hiring auto-industry icon John Krafcik to head its auto project. The said goal of building autonomous vehicles is to lessen traffic accidents caused by human factors, which take thousands of lives each year, in U.S. alone.
An analyst at IHS automotive has identified the implications of Google's ride for hire service to other car companies. He said that self-driving cars from other companies might be charged for ads when they are searched through Google's search engine. Boyadjis states, "There are reasons to work with Google and also reasons to want to keep them out of the mix. If the automakers aren't careful, customers won't be having a Lexus experience. They'll be having a Google experience."
