Mercedes partners with Google for supercomputer-like vehicle performance

Yahoo Finance's Dan Howley discusses Mercedes teaming up with Google to offer automated driving sensors, traffic information, and in-car YouTube to drivers.

Video transcript

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RACHELLE AKUFFO: And also talking about the auto industry because it's also using AI to transform driving, what does Nvidia's and Google's partnership with Mercedes signal for the industry?

DAN HOWLEY: Yeah, so Nvidia's been working with Mercedes for a while, providing chips. And now they're going to be doing that as well and getting a cut of sales when it comes to autonomous vehicles or vehicles that have semi-autonomous features, really driver-- advanced driver safety kind of features. They're going to be rolling those out.

And then Google is going to be powering some of the infotainment technology behind future Mercedes vehicles. They're going to be able to do things like get turn-by-turn directions, navigation, and then even YouTube from the infotainment center. And this is something that Google's been doing. They already have a deal with Ford. We should start to see vehicles like that rolling out in the future.

But with Nvidia, it really just shows that they are going headlong into the automotive space, something they've been doing for some time. This is going to be level three, so it's not level five which is the ultimate, that car drives itself, and you have a drink in the back and pass out for five hours. And next thing you know, you're in-- I don't know-- Texas or something.

This is just-- it's going to help you drive on the road. But it is interesting just to see this continued progression when it comes to self-driving cars.

RACHELLE AKUFFO: Indeed. I was just trying to picture you just enjoying your time sleeping in the back of a car for five hours and waking up in Texas. Who knows? The future at some, point right? Yahoo Finance's tech editor Dan Howley, thanks so much.