{"id":48932,"date":"2016-08-07T17:28:09","date_gmt":"2016-08-07T14:28:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ngradio.gr\/en\/?p=48932"},"modified":"2016-08-07T17:55:06","modified_gmt":"2016-08-07T14:55:06","slug":"top-google-self-driving-car-exec-chris-urmson-stepping-down","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ngradio.gr\/en\/news-el\/diafora-en\/top-google-self-driving-car-exec-chris-urmson-stepping-down\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Google Self-Driving Car Exec Chris Urmson Stepping Down"},"content":{"rendered":"

Following 7\u00bd years of work on the project, one of the top executives on Google\u2019s self-driving vehicle initiative, Chris Urmson, will be stepping down.<\/p>\n

Notably, Urmson has been with the project since its inception, and has often served as a public face for it \u2014 even testifying before a US Senate panel devoted to self-driving technology earlier this year. Urmson had been named Chief Technical Officer (CTO) on the project following the firing of former Hyundai executive John Krafcik as the project\u2019s chief executive.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

So, what\u2019s the reason for the departure? According to a blog post from Urmson, it was because he was now \u201cready for a fresh challenge.\u201d There\u2019s no word as of yet what this will be, though, as Urmson himself stated that he wasn\u2019t sure what was next.<\/p>\n

Reuters<\/a><\/em> followed up on the blog post, and quoted Urmson as stating: \u201cGoing to take some time and get some perspective from outside of Google.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, what to make of all of this? Notably, Urmson was quoted earlier this year as saying: \u201cI\u2019ve gone from hoping this would happen to thinking it might happen to knowing it will happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Which does make one think that it\u2019s not a matter of technical difficulties \u2014 though, I could be wrong.<\/p>\n

The following\u00a0are a few\u00a0major points concerning the state of the company\u2019s program, that may shed some light on the matter:<\/p>\n