Honda to collaborate with Waymo for self-driving technology

Honda Motor Co., Ltd.’s R&D subsidiary Honda R&D Co., Ltd. has announced yesterday that they are entering formal discussions with Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo in collaborating for self-driving technology.

The technical collaboration is said to enable both companies to learn about the integration of Waymo’s self-driving sensors, software, and computing platform into Honda cars. Furthermore, part of the discussion is Honda’s initial provision of vehicles to Waymo, which will then join its existing fleet of autonomous cars – formerly Google’s self-driving car.

If the discussion proceeds to a formal agreement, Honda R&D engineers in Silicon Valley, California, as well as in Tochigi, Japan will work alongside Waymo engineers in Mountain View, California and Novi, Michigan.

Honda has previously announced its intention into putting automated driving capabilities in its production vehicles around year 2020. Of note, the collaboration with Waymo would open different technical approach in bringing the self-driving technology to the market.

In a recent report, Waymo CEO John Krafcik introduced first images of its new driverless Chrysler Pacifica hybrid with successful production of 100 units.