Given how long Google has spent developing its self-driving technology and tested it out without much incident, it makes sense for companies to want to use that technology instead of having to develop their own from scratch. This is something that Honda is considering as they have announced that they are in talks with Waymo to use its self-driving technology.For those unfamiliar, Waymo is a Google X spin-off in which Alphabet, Google’s parent company, decided to give the self-driving project its own company in the form of Waymo. According to Honda, “This technical collaboration between Honda researchers and Waymo’s self-driving technology team would allow both companies to learn about the integration of Waymo’s fully self-driving sensors, software and computing platform into Honda vehicles.”
Note that right now Honda and Waymo are in discussions meaning that nothing has been confirmed or finalized yet, so there’s a chance that nothing might happen. However if successful, this would further Honda’s goals of putting self-driving cars on the road in 2020 and achieving what they are calling a “collision-free society”.
Honda also says that “this technical collaboration with Waymo could allow Honda R&D to explore a different technological approach to bring fully self-driving technology to market.” As it stands Waymo is currently working with FCA who has provided the company with the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans to use as test vehicles.
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