Google has STOPPED building its own self-driving car
SEARCH giant looks to refocus its driving efforts towards more conventional vehicles, marking the death of the Google Car, reports suggest.
The Google car may be no more, reports have claimed
Google may be set to ditch its infamous self-driving car project.
Reports have claimed that the online giant is looking to change its focus in the motoring space and will be moving away from autonomous vehicles.
However Google won't be quitting the car industry completely, as the company revealed it still has plans to keep working on the next generation of smart vehicles.
The Google car had been testing on Californian roads for some time
Google had been one of the leading testers of self-driving cars, having partnered with the likes of Toyota and Lexus in the past.
Its fleet of sixty vehicles had accrued more than two million miles of road time since Google began testing in 2009, primarily around the company's Mountain View headquarters.
However the testing was not without its controversies, as Google's vehicles were involved in several high-profile incidents, including a number of crashes.
The most serious accident involving a Google car to date saw one vehicle struck by a van that went through a red light and collided into its passenger side, causing significant damage.
Driverless cars hit British streets in landmark trial
Going forward, Google will now reportedly look to partner with existing carmakers on building more conventional vehicles, according to sources speaking to The Information.
The company's first search partnership will be with Fiat Chrysler, which is building a prototype self-driving car based on its Pacifica minivan.
The two companies are set to reveal more details about their new partnership later this week, but its thought that if the pilot is a success, it may lead to an official launch soon.
Apple has been rumoured to be working on its self-driving car for years
Interest in driverless cars is continuing to grow in the UK as more and more companies through their weight behind the technology.
Prototype vehicles have already seen a real-world debut in Milton Keynes, operating at speeds of up to 15mph to ferry customers around the city.
Apple also caused major excitement last week after it confirmed it was working on a self-driving car.
Codenamed Project Titan, Apple's self-driving cars could arrive within the next few years, depending on the amount of testing, and whether it can get government approval.