Google and Ford Reportedly Teaming Up to Build Self-Driving Cars

The partnership will likely be announced at the 2016 CES trade show.

learn more about Laura Entis

By Laura Entis

Google

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Two powerhouses are coming together to create a future where cars, not humans, do the driving.

That's the rumor on the street anyway, thanks to a report from Yahoo Autos that Google and Ford are teaming up to create an autonomous vehicle venture.

The partnership -- which Yahoo Autos suggests will be officially announced at the Consumer Electronics Show on Jan. 5 -- makes a lot of sense. While Google and Tesla get the most publicity for their self-driving vehicular efforts, Ford has also been experimenting with the technology. The company recently announced it will begin testing the cars in California next month.

Related: Google's Self-Driving Cars Crash 'Surprisingly Often' -- But Other Drivers Are Always at Fault

Meanwhile for Google, the partnership provides accesses to Ford's deep auto-manufacturing expertise.

The deal will likely be nonexclusive, Yahoo Autos reports, which means Google can partner with other automakers in its push to get self-driving cars on the roads.

Competition among autonomous vehicle makers is ramping up. Alongside Google, Tesla and Ford, companies including Apple, Volvo and Daimler are throwing resources behind self-driving car technology. A report by Juniper Research predicts there will be 20 million autonomous vehicles on the road by 2025.

Related: Buckle Up: Google's Self-Driving Cars to Hit the Open Road

Laura Entis
Laura Entis is a reporter for Fortune.com's Venture section.

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