It's Easier Here.
Leith Cars Blog
Earlier this week, you may have heard the news about Google’s driverless car company, Google Auto LLC. Since 2011, this subgroup of Google has been working on everything from autonomous Priuses to their very own autonomous Google vehicle.
At the same time, Google has been working on installing their highly anticipated internet service, Google Fiber. And as you may already know, residents of Carrboro, Cary, Chapel Hill, Durham, Garner, Morrisville, and Raleigh will all have access to this state-of-the-art internet service. For those who aren’t familiar, Google Fiber is an internet service offering speeds of up to 1000 Mbps per second. Yes. 1000 Mbps, or 1 Gigabyte.
As a reference, your current internet provider probably has plans ranging anywhere from 5 – 50 Mbps.
Laying the Infrastructure
Currently, Google Fiber is installed in only three cities. Those cities are: Austin, Provo, and Kansas City. There are six cities currently in the line to receive google fiber and Raleigh-Durham happens to be one of them. The Triangle is welcoming Google Fiber with open arms and excitement. Who doesn’t want super high-speed internet?
But with great fiber, comes great responsibility. Just kidding, it actually may mean less responsibility.
The Idea
Google is not being shy about their driverless cars. Since Google Auto began working on their autonomous system back in 2011, they’ve kept the world updated on their progress – No doubt in effort to prime people for their inevitable autonomous future. But we think they’re doing more to prepare than many have cared to notice.
The current Google Cars work using a complex array of software and hardware. Driven by an electric motor, the car uses sensors to detect its surroundings and a GPS to update its current location. The software in the system alerts the vehicle of any objects around it, and the car responds accordingly. To keep a reliable connection between the car and the GPS system, Google will need an internet service – A very powerful internet service.
Making the Connection
Enter, Google Fiber. It makes perfect sense that Google would bring in their own internet services to areas where they’re going to bring their autonomous vehicles. We’re not suggesting that Google Fiber’s sole purpose is to serve Google Auto LLC. Rather, we’re suggesting that cities who have Google Fiber may be seeing autonomous cars sooner than expected. For North Carolina residents, this is exciting news.
We’re only speculating on the information we have, but if Google Auto LLC continues to improve and releases a marketable product, who knows what the streets of the Triangle might look like.
Keep your eyes on Leith Car’s blog in the meantime for updates on all autonomous cars, and get ready for all the high-speed splendor that Google Fiber is sure to bring.
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