Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

Honda may be next to test Waymo autonomous-driving tech in its cars

Stephen Edelstein
By

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid
Image used with permission by copyright holder
In its split from parent company Alphabet, Waymo acquired not only a new name, but also a new focus on partnering with established automakers to develop self-driving cars. The newly-independent company is already working with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), but it may take on a second partner as well.

Honda announced yesterday that it was “entering into formal discussions” with Waymo to integrate the company’s autonomous-driving tech with its cars. If both parties agree to collaborate, Honda would provide a fleet of vehicles to be outfitted with Waymo hardware, and engineers from the two companies would work together in some capacity.

Recommended Videos

The arrangement could be broadly similar to the partnership Waymo currently has with FCA. The Italian-American automaker just delivered 100 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans to Waymo for conversion into autonomous test vehicles. The minivans were prepped by FCA for the installation of sensors and other hardware that will enable autonomous driving. FCA and Waymo engineers are also working side by side in Michigan.

Related

Honda is already conducting some of its own autonomous-car testing. It has a prototype vehicle based on the RLX Sport Hybrid from its Acura luxury division, which has been testing at GoMentum station, a dedicated testing facility for self-driving cars on the grounds of the former Concord Naval Weapons Station in the San Francisco Bay Area. Honda hopes to put cars with at least some autonomous capabilities on sale around 2020.

A partnership with Waymo could allow Honda to “explore a different technological approach to bring fully self-driving technology to market,” a press release from the automaker said. However, the two companies are only in the initial stage of discussions, and haven’t committed to any collaboration yet.

Waymo was previously the Google self-driving car project, but was reorganized into an independent entity. When the reorganization was announced earlier this month, Waymo said it would cease development work on its home-built, pod-like prototype cars. While the cute cars garnered plenty of positive buzz, Waymo has decided that it doesn’t want to get into the business of building cars. It plans to commercialize its technology by working with existing automakers.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Stephen Edelstein
Stephen Edelstein
Contributing Editor
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Waymo taps the brakes on its autonomous-trucking project
A Waymo autonomous trick undergoing testing on a highway.

Six years after launching its autonomous-truck program, Waymo has said it’s decided to focus more on developing its ridesharing ambitions using its self-driving cars and minivans.

The California-based, Alphabet-owned company said its decision to effectively put autonomous trucking on the back burner is down to the “tremendous momentum and substantial commercial opportunity” that it’s seeing with the pilot ridesharing service it launched in Arizona in 2018 before taking it to several other states. Customers involved in the program can use an app to call a Waymo driverless car in the same way they would book an Uber.

Read more
Volkswagen is launching its own self-driving car testing program in the U.S.
Volkswagen self-driving ID. Buzz in Austin

Volkswagen is taking autonomous driving a little more seriously. While the likes of Tesla and Waymo have largely led the development of next-gen driving tech, the legacy automakers are certainly starting to invest more heavily. To that end, Volkswagen has announced its first autonomous driving program in the U.S.

As part of the program, Volkswagen has outfitted 10 all-electric ID. Buzz vans with autonomous driving tech, in partnership with autonomous car tech company MobileEye. Over the next few years, Volkswagen says it'll grow this fleet of autonomous cars to cover at least four additional cities, with the current fleet operating in Austin, Texas. By 2026, Volkswagen hopes to commercially launch autonomous cars in Austin.

Read more
Waymo’s robotaxis are coming to Uber’s ridesharing app
A Waymo autonomous vehicle.

Uber will soon offer rides in Waymo's autonomous vehicles using the regular Uber app. It will also integrate with Uber Eats for meal delivery.

Announced on Tuesday, the service will begin toward the end of the year in the Metro Phoenix area, where Waymo is already offering driverless rides for paying passengers through its Waymo One app. Earlier this month, Waymo said it was doubling its service area in Phoenix to serve 180 square miles of The Valley, an expansion that it said makes it “the largest fully autonomous service area in the world.”

Read more