Google seeking partners for driverless car project

Firm speaking to manufacturers and parts suppliers

Google has begun discussions with General Motors, Ford, Daimler, Volkswagen and Toyota about plans to bring driverless cars to the market by 2020.

Reuters reports that Google has assembled a team of traditional and non-traditional suppliers to speed up its efforts to get self-driving cars on the road.

Chris Urmson, director of Google's self-driving car project, told Reuters that Google wants to tap into the expertise of the major car brands.

"For us to jump in and say that we can do this better, that's arrogant," Urmson said. "We'd be remiss not to talk to ... the biggest auto manufacturers. They've got a lot to offer."

Urmson added that Google is developing self-driving systems with components from auto parts suppliers, including Continental, Bosch, ZF and LG.

Google's driverless cars use processors from chipmaker Nvidia, which recently revealed a mobile supercomputer chip to power artificial intelligence in future cars.

Google's prototype cars and systems have been successfully trialled across thousands of miles of Californian highways, but the firm has not yet determined whether it will make the cars itself or provide the autonomous systems to established carmakers.

Reuters reported that Jon Lauckner, chief technology officer at General Motors, has said that the company would "certainly be open to having a discussion" with Google.

"You have to figure out how something like that would actually work," Lauckner said.

"Would it be something where it would be an opportunity to work together in a joint development agreement? I'd say probably anybody who's interested ought to at least go over and kick the tires."

It is particularly noteworthy that Google has been in discussions with Daimler, which owns Mercedes and showcased its own luxury driverless car at CES 2015 (pictured).

A potential partnership between Google and Daimler could see driverless technology deployed in a way that appeals to drivers by combining technology expertise with an established and trusted automotive brand.

Driverless cars and autonomous systems were prominent features at CES 2015, heralding a future in which drivers could become merely passengers.

Google aims to get driverless cars on the road by 2020, but the UK government has given the go ahead for driverless car trials on Britain's roads in 2015.