Case
| HBS Case Collection
|
January 2014
(Revised March 2015)
Google Car
by
Karim R. Lakhani, James Weber and Christine Snively
|
Abstract
By 2013, Google, while not a traditional manufacturer of automobiles, had invested millions of dollars in its self-driving cars which had logged over 500,000 miles of testing. The Google management team faced several questions. Should Google continue to invest in the technology behind self-driving cars? How could Google's core software-based and search business benefit from self-driving car technology? As large auto manufacturers began to invest in automotive technology themselves, could Google compete? Was this investment of time and resources worth it for Google?
Keywords: Digital Services;
innovation;
technology;
auto industry;
Technological Innovation;
Online Technology;
Market Entry and Exit;
Transportation;
Auto Industry;
United States;