Uber Accused Of Stealing The Autonomous Driving System From Google

The headlines are featuring scandalous news about Uber accused of stealing the autonomous driving system from Google. It is actually engineer Anthony Lewandowski who is accused of stealing about 14 000 files containing information on the development of an autonomous system before leaving Google.

Waymo Company, which is focused on the development of autonomous technology, accused Uber's Otto project of using stolen technologies for autonomous vehicles. According to the news, the lawsuit has already been submitted to the District Court of San Francisco.

Waymo believes that engineer Anthony Lewandowski has stolen about 14 000 files containing information on the development of autonomous technology before leaving Google. The top-manager was accused of using these data for the development of autonomous systems for Otto.

Back in December it became known that the holding Alphabet, the one that owns Google, has initiated a project regarding autonomous systems for vehicles in a separate company. The new entity is Waymo. The CEO of Waymo, John Krafcik, explained that the company is based on the development of autonomous technology. This confirms the idea of the interrupted development of Google's own car.

According to the top manager, Waymo is not a car company. They do not take part in manufacturing racing cars; they just create a better driver.

The first project of the new company became a minivan with an autonomous driving system, which was developed along with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. The novelty is based on hybrid Chrysler Pacifica. The companies are going to release and test about 100 Chrysler Pacifica cars with autonomous control. The first models will go on the road next year.

Uber Company is already performing trials for its first autonomous taxi. After the service banned such tests in California, Uber has decided to start testing its autonomous cars on the streets of Arizona. The program has been agreed with the local authorities. The tests on autonomous cars should begin in the near future.