Google hires ex Hyundai CEO to run self-driving car project

Google said on Monday that John Krafcik will be the new head of its self-driving car project. The newly installed project head will oversee the tech giant’s automated vehicle venture later this month from the company’s headquarters in Mountain View, California.

Krafcik, an established engineer and marketing professional, started out as a research member of lean production at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT. James Womak, his MIT teammate, said Krafcik is the right man to spearhead Google’s automated vehicle program, Business Insider reports. Krafcik kicked off his career at General Motors, where he was one of the first engineers in the company’s NUMMI joint project with Toyota.

Krafcik has also had 14 years of experience handling different engineering and executive positions at Ford. Before being appointed the president of TrueCar, he was the CEO of Hyundai Motor America from 2008 to 2013, and he guided the Korean automaker to success.

With the new appointment, Google sends a clear signal to its automated vehicle rivals that its self-driving car project is no longer just scientific research. Google spokesperson Courtney Hohne, however, told Automotive News that Krafcik’s occupational background should not be interpreted as a signal that Google intends to manufacture self-driving cars.

She added that Google will continue to outsource manufacturers for its automated vehicles. Last year, Google bought parts from Bosch and Continental, both of which are traditional automotive suppliers, for its two-seater pod prototype. Roush Enterprises assembled the finished car using the parts.

Krafcik is currently the president of the Sta. Monica-based consumer automotive resource firm, TrueCar, but is set to leave his job this week. On the other hand, Chris Urmson, the present director of Google’s self-driving car project, will work hand-in-hand with Krafcik by continuing to lead the technical development team.

Google Hires Krafcik to Head Up Autonomous (Credit: YouTube/FranceBreakc)

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