PALO ALTO, California (AP) – The office has all the trappings of a high-tech startup. There’s a giant beanbag in the foyer and erasable, white board walls for brainstorming. Someone’s pet dog lounges happily on the sunny balcony.
Welcome to the Palo Alto home of the Ford Motor Co., six miles from the headquarters of Google.
Meanwhile, in a squat, industrial building in suburban Detroit, a short drive from Ford’s headquarters, workers are busy building a small fleet of driverless cars.
The company behind them? Google.
The convergence of cars and computers is blurring the traditional geographical boundaries of both industries. Silicon Valley is dotted with research labs opened by automakers and suppliers, who are racing to develop high-tech infotainment systems and autonomous cars. Tech companies – looking to grow and sensing an industry that’s ripe for disruption – are heading to Detroit to better understand the auto industry and get their software embedded into cars.