Google hires ex-Hyundai America CEO for self-driving car project
American software giant Google announced that John Krafcik, 53, has been hired as the new CEO for its self-driving car project on Sept. 14, 2015. Krafick’s previously worked at Ford, and also served as president and CEO of Hyundai’s American division.
Krafick expressed excitement at the opportunity to join Google.
“This is a great opportunity to help Google develop the enormous potential of self-driving cars,” said Krafcik in an email to Automotive News. “This technology can save thousands of lives, give millions of people greater mobility and free us from a lot of the things we can find frustrating about driving today. I can’t wait to get started.”
Google launched its self-driving car project in 2009. It hopes to release road-worthy self-driving cars for consumer use by 2020.
Krafick, whose previous experience also includes a brief period with automotive pricing website TrueCar, will begin with Google later this month.
Premier Wynne arrives on campus at the University of Guelph.
Premier Kathleen Wynne stopped by the University of Guelph to help promote the Liberal party and Guelph Liberal candidate Lloyd Longfield.
“My message is two things—we need a federal government that is going to work with the provincial and territorial governments it’s very important,“ said Premier Kathleen Wynne. “Whether it’s infrastructure or whether it’s First Nations or Aboriginal issues, there’s a huge range of subjects we need to be working together with. Whether it’s post secondary education we need a federal partner.”
“Then I guess the second thing that I would say to students is please vote. You know young people tend not to vote at the same rate as others,” continued Premier Wynne. “Obviously I want them to vote liberal [but] that’s not the point really; the point is to get out and vote and look at the candidates and then make a decision, because otherwise older people vote for them. Those are the two things I would say.”