Google has made clear that its cooperation with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) to build autonomous vehicles is limited in time and scope.
The statement comes straight from John Krafcik, Google's self-driving car chief executive, who declared that his company is negotiating with other potential partners as well.
At the beginning of May, FCA and Google signed an agreement that looked like the most tech-forward partnership between a traditional carmaker and a tech company. The two ventures agreed to team up and craft a fleet of 100 self-driving minivans, but fans expected to see a lot more come out of the deal.
"This is just FCA and Google building 100 cars together," Krafcik said during an interview in Washington.
Google said that no technology developed by the company will be shared with Fiat Chrysler and added that the 100 minivans will not be sold.
Krafcik pointed out that Google is looking into working with other automakers. The tech company repeatedly stated that it refuses the idea of building self-driving vehicles on its own. That is why it is testing the waters with multiple carmakers.
Krafcik noted that Google has a clear idea of what problems it wants to solve.
"Solving this problem is going to require a lot of partnership," he said.
So far, Google has piled up about 1.5 million miles of driverless test driving, giving it a consistent quantity of data.
"We have a responsibility to get this out there as soon as we can," Krafcik affirmed.
He is certain that the driverless technology can curb the 33,000 annual traffic casualties and the whopping number of injuries — 2.3 million — related to traffic accidents.
Meanwhile, automakers and tech companies are pooling their efforts to synergize the hardware and AI systems that can safely and efficiently pilot vehicles, sans drivers.
On May 19, Uber shared images of a Ford Fusion that is equipped with sensors that make it ready for autonomous driving. In a press release, the company said that the car will be roaming the streets of Pittsburgh.
FCA's rivals are not lagging behind either. General Motors recently purchased technology startup Cruise Automation, a venture that specializes in self-driving cars.
