Alphabet will develop self-driving car technology in Arizona

Alphabet will develop self-driving car technology in Arizona Google parent company Alphabet said on Thursday that after launching a self-driving car cooperation with Fiat-…

Google parent Alphabet said on Thursday that after launching a self-driving car cooperation with Fiat Chrysler, the company will also conduct similar cooperation with more automakers in Phoenix, Arizona. The deal between Alphabet and Fiat Chrysler was announced in May, and the two companies plan to install self-driving technology on about 100 Pacifica hybrid station wagons in 2017. The first vehicles will hit the road later this year, doubling the scope of Google's self-driving car testing.

>Alphabet’s current road test fleet includes 24 modified Lexus SUVs and 34 prototype cars specially built for Alphabet.

Ruth Porat, CF of Google and its parent company Alphabet, said on a conference call Thursday that the Fiat-Chrysler deal is Alphabet's first time working directly with an automaker, but it won't be the last. ?#25105;We are pleased to partner with Fiat Chrysler, which will more than double our vehicle fleet. ?#22905; said, ?#25105; We also hope to cooperate with many partners in this field. ?/FONT>

Platt did not disclose any more information.

Self-driving cars are one of Alphabet's big plans. These plans will invest in new areas of technology. Although it may take many years to achieve commercialization, they will bring significant changes to the industry. "We are solving a huge need," Perrat said of self-driving cars. ?BR>

Alphabet lost $859 million on similar projects last quarter, many of which were related to Google's fiber optic high-speed Internet project. However, Alphabet's Google's $7 billion in profits can easily cover these losses.

Alphabet is currently testing self-driving cars in four major cities in the United States, including Phoenix, Arizona, Mountain View, California, Kirkland, Washington, and Austin, Texas.

Since the program began in 2009, the vehicles have logged more than 1.7 million miles (2.8 million kilometers).