Tokyo-based financial news giant Nikkei on Tuesday reported that the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance would jointly develop autonomous taxis and other services using self-driving vehicles with Alphabet Inc’s (GOOGL) Google.
From the report, it can be assumed that Google’s autonomous car project Waymo could very well be the entity the carmakers could work with. According to the Asian financial daily, a plan for the arrangement would be announced as early as 2019 spring.
Nissan vehicles could be at the helm of this joint development along with a system to handle reservation and payments, much like Uber.
However, recent media reports state that the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance denied any association. According to a spokesperson, the story could as well be speculation.
Google’s Waymo withheld any official response.
This news comes just a month after the Ghosn situation developed further.
THE GHOST OF GHOSN’S CASE
On January 22, a Tokyo court rejected former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn’s latest request for bail. Shortly after Ghosn’s initial arrest back in November of 2018, he was ousted from the chairmanship of both Nissan and Mitsubishi. However, he remains CEO and chairman of their French partner Renault. The three-way auto alliance have been in turmoil since his arrest.
Nissan might sue ousted chairman Carlos Ghosn
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Earlier in January, reports emerged suggesting that Carlos Ghosn might be facing a civil suit from Nissan after his arrest in Tokyo for allegedly using company funds for personal needs. He was charged with three counts of financial misconduct, and has been held at a detention center in Tokyo, Japan for almost two months.