One of the first things that Google Auto did was serve as a division that put the driverless Lexus SUVs to test. Google Auto was then hailed manufacturer of 23 autonomous Lexus cars registered in California.
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Justin Sullivan-2015 Getty Images Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx (R) and Google Chairman Eric Schmidt (L) get out of a Google self-driving auto at the Google headquarters on February 2, 2015 in Mountain View, California. The company (Googe Auto) is headed by Chris Urmson who has been leading Google’s self -driving vehicle project. Google is seriously investing millions of dollars including time and energy into making their autonomous cars a success. So for now, let’s not bother Google Auto for a while.
Google’s driverless vehicle has been in the works for quite a few years now, and while most of the reports in the news have been on the technical capabilities of the fully autonomous auto, and the much documented road tests, recent reports indicate that the company behind the technology, Google also created a limited liability company for their project as well. According to documents obtained by The Guardian, Google has been quietly running its own subsidiary company under the name Google Auto LLC since 2011. However it should be noted that Urmson has said “Google Auto LLC has not offered any of its LSVs for sale, and it does not plan to do so”.
Google announced that it was going to build 100 prototype self-driving cars from scratch, without steering wheels, accelerator or brake pedals.
Google Auto might just be a legal convenience – as the Guardian points out, it shifts risk away from the main body of the company, and probably also makes filling out paperwork with the NHSTA easier. The cars are also powered by a 20-30kW electric motor, and have all been assembled on the outskirts of Detroit, Michigan by Google’s manufacturing partner, Roush.
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To think that you won’t be waiting in line any longer for taking or renewing your driver’s license is such a dream.
