Google's self-driving car may be launched next year, retaining the steering wheel

According to foreign media The Information, a source revealed that Google's self-driving car will be available before the end of next year. Google is mainly engaged in the research and development of the self-driving system, while the manufacturing of the car is mainly handed over to its partners. It is worth mentioning that although this car focuses on the self-driving function, the steering wheel and brake accelerator are retained.

Keep the steering wheel! Google's self-driving car may be launched next year

The insider specifically mentioned the steering wheel, accelerator and brake because Google released a prototype of a self-driving car in 2014. At that time, the car did not have a steering wheel, accelerator or brake. At that time, the self-driving car mainly relied on built-in sensors and a software system to maintain maneuverability. However, the current policy has changed greatly compared to that time, and the ultimate control of the car must be handed over to the driver.

According to previous rumors, John Krafcik, the head of Google's driverless project, revealed the news of the project's independence at the Nikkei Innovation Forum. Recently, Google has also been recruiting management in related fields. Krafcik and his team are already looking for new office space to take over the spun-off company. At the same time, they have also released recruitment notices for some positions. Interestingly, according to the recruitment notice, the company expects to achieve "significant" development after the spin-off from Google X. This is not just about the number of employees, but also the scale of the company's business.

Previously, Google's self-driving car department was affiliated with Google X, a subsidiary of Google's parent company Alphabet. However, Alphabet executives have repeatedly revealed that Google hopes to split the driverless car business into an independent subsidiary for operation. That's why they recruited lawyers to deal with various legal issues that may arise.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.