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I feel that what Google has built (self-driving cars) is harder to replicate, but Google doesn't have the killer instinct that Uber does. You need more than "k

by moe 12y ago

I feel that what Google has built (self-driving cars) is harder to replicate, but Google doesn't have the killer instinct that Uber does. You need more than "killer instinct" to match a decade of research in autonomous vehicles. What you call "killer instinct" I would call delusional or "dumb money".

soup10 12y ago
Self-driving cars is one of many research projects for google, and it's far from their core competency. If they have money to spend and are very focused on this. I wouldn't count Uber out.
PeterisP 12y ago
I probably agree on your viewpoint, but it's not like Google really has an advantage of "a decade of research" over everyone else. They do have a serious advantage, but a the vast majority of benefits of this decade of research is not developed and kept by Google in-house. Key parts of it are either included in non-core components (sensor hardware, commodity electronics) that are used also in other applications (such as computer vision applications in manufacturing industry robotics) and Uber can simply buy that from other companies; or in publicly available academic research and data resources. In terms of actual competitive advantage in self-driving cars, I'd say that Google has the following things - (a) a vast store of high-precision mapping and laser scan data that nobody else has; (b) a 1 (2?) year gap in pure research between what they have and what has been openly published by someone; and (c) a bunch of engineering expertise and experimentation experience that Uber doesn't have but some others do -e.g. many major car manufacturers. An impressive gap, but one that can be overcome in acouple years if you're serious about it.
- moe 12y ago
  many major car manufacturers Who? All demos that I've seen from Mercedes Benz, BMW, Toyota, Volvo, etc. were generations behind google. The self-parking car seemed to be their most impressive feat so far. Meanwhile Google Car is commuting in live city traffic, without anyone touching the wheel.
  - desdiv 12y ago
    Here's a Mercedes prototype driving in live traffic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5kJ_8JAp-w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5kJ_8JAp-w I would put that on the same league as Google's.
    - Chathamization 12y ago
      I wouldn't be surprised to see the big car manufacturers put a self-driving car on the market before Google. For instance, the car in the video looks much more like an actual product than the Google car, with it's spinning radar on top. Google's spent a lot of money in a lot of different areas, but I haven't been terribly impressed by their output. Google glasses seems to be a good example about how they can excite people before release and then stumble when the product actually comes out (though this is an issue with a lot of tech companies).
  - cLeEOGPw 12y ago
    Car manufacturers are aiming for consumer budget, i.e. are planing to sell these technologies to customers in foreseeable future, while google is building self driving car no matter the costs and is reaching space program-like budget. So there's also that to consider.
    - minthd 12y ago
      Car manufacturers are aiming wrong because of their old business model. Google is aiming at a taxi service, where expensive car costs are less critical, but being first to market(by quite a few years), reliable, having a large network and a good brand mean much more.
  - Gurkenmaster 12y ago
    http://www.cnet.com/news/a-ride-in-volvos-autonomous-car-how-the-next-step-in-driver-safety-requires-replacing-the-driver/ http://www.cnet.com/news/a-ride-in-volvos-autonomous-car-how... Google just has better advertising because that is Google's core business.

by moe 12y ago

soup10 12y ago

Self-driving cars is one of many research projects for google, and it's far from their core competency. If they have money to spend and are very focused on this. I wouldn't count Uber out.

PeterisP 12y ago

I probably agree on your viewpoint, but it's not like Google really has an advantage of "a decade of research" over everyone else. They do have a serious advantage, but a the vast majority of benefits of this decade of research is not developed and kept by Google in-house. Key parts of it are either included in non-core components (sensor hardware, commodity electronics) that are used also in other applications (such as computer vision applications in manufacturing industry robotics) and Uber can simply buy that from other companies; or in publicly available academic research and data resources. In terms of actual competitive advantage in self-driving cars, I'd say that Google has the following things - (a) a vast store of high-precision mapping and laser scan data that nobody else has; (b) a 1 (2?) year gap in pure research between what they have and what has been openly published by someone; and (c) a bunch of engineering expertise and experimentation experience that Uber doesn't have but some others do -e.g. many major car manufacturers. An impressive gap, but one that can be overcome in acouple years if you're serious about it.

moe 12y ago
many major car manufacturers Who? All demos that I've seen from Mercedes Benz, BMW, Toyota, Volvo, etc. were generations behind google. The self-parking car seemed to be their most impressive feat so far. Meanwhile Google Car is commuting in live city traffic, without anyone touching the wheel.
- desdiv 12y ago
  Here's a Mercedes prototype driving in live traffic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5kJ_8JAp-w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5kJ_8JAp-w I would put that on the same league as Google's.
  - Chathamization 12y ago
    I wouldn't be surprised to see the big car manufacturers put a self-driving car on the market before Google. For instance, the car in the video looks much more like an actual product than the Google car, with it's spinning radar on top. Google's spent a lot of money in a lot of different areas, but I haven't been terribly impressed by their output. Google glasses seems to be a good example about how they can excite people before release and then stumble when the product actually comes out (though this is an issue with a lot of tech companies).
- cLeEOGPw 12y ago
  Car manufacturers are aiming for consumer budget, i.e. are planing to sell these technologies to customers in foreseeable future, while google is building self driving car no matter the costs and is reaching space program-like budget. So there's also that to consider.
  - minthd 12y ago
    Car manufacturers are aiming wrong because of their old business model. Google is aiming at a taxi service, where expensive car costs are less critical, but being first to market(by quite a few years), reliable, having a large network and a good brand mean much more.
- Gurkenmaster 12y ago
  http://www.cnet.com/news/a-ride-in-volvos-autonomous-car-how-the-next-step-in-driver-safety-requires-replacing-the-driver/ http://www.cnet.com/news/a-ride-in-volvos-autonomous-car-how... Google just has better advertising because that is Google's core business.