Uber Technologies Inc.is close to opening a facility in the Detroit area to boost collaboration with conventional vehicle companies, a top executive said at a conference Monday.
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“The facility in Detroit is collaborating with the Tier 1s. because we are not going to be designing our own hardware”, Marakby told Automotive News, adding that Uber will also look to work with automakers in the area to develop and modify its autonomous fleet. The confirmation came from Uber vice president Sherif Marakby during the SAE Convergence conference in Novi, Michigan.
Uber set the internet abuzz last week with the rollout of their new autonomous vehicles that are now serving the Pittsburgh area. Volvo XC90 SUVs will join Uber’s self-driving cab fleet in Pittsburgh.
Uber has said it doesn’t intend to make cars itself, so it needs automotive allies. Marakby also stressed that “Uber is not in the business of making cars”, according to the Detroit News, emphasizing that its focus with the new facility is to be closer to potential and existing partners.
And Ford is doubling its staff in Palo Alto, Calif.to more than 260 personnel, while expanding its offices and labs there.
Google’s self-driving auto project recently opened an office in the Detroit area, while NVIDIA, which makes computer processors, has software engineers embedded at automakers.
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John Krafcik, who heads the technology giant’s autonomous vehicle program, said Google’s self-driving auto program has already had team members working in the greater Detroit area, and that “it’s time to lay down roots”.
