You know how aggressive companies have become in their respective pursuits of autonomous driving and connectivity technology when just about everyday, somebody announces something related to this technological race. Jaguar->ke39 Land Rover->ke46 just announced its investment on the UK’s first testing corridor and now, Nissan-->ke62Renault->ke72 is making its own announcement of sorts by touting its research facility in Silicon Valley.

Like every automaker that’s pushing for these industry-changing technologies,->ke1701 Nissan-Renault’s research facility in Silicon Valley represents the company’s plans to take advantage of the bubbling technological ecosystem in the area. It’s no secret to anybody that Silicon Valley is home to some of the biggest tech companies in the world, not to mention the universities and firms that are dedicated to technological innovation, academic research, start up investment, governmental, and aerospace advancement.

Since Nissan-Renault has made it a company goal to launch 10 vehicles with autonomous driving capabilities in three continents over the next four years, it’s decision to have a research facility in Silicon Valley is a slam dunk. There’s no better place to tap into a pool of some of the smartest and most talented technological minds in the world.

Recently, Nissan-Renault even hosted a tour of its facility, inviting words of media members and entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley to experience the developments the company has made in autonomous->ke5282 driving technology first hand. Some media members were also given the chance to experience real-world applications of these technologies, including the latest advancements the automaker has made in autonomous merging and recognition technologies.

That’s how important autonomous driving, connected vehicles, and zero-emission cars have become to the future of the industry. A lot of automakers are developing their own techs, but Nissan-Renault is taking it to the next level by effectively setting up shop in the world’s foremost tech-savvy address.

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Why it matters

There’s a saying that in all kinds of competitions, the winners are always the ones who use every advantage they can find to their benefit. They’re the ones that push the hardest and last the longest. I remembered those words because if there was ever a time that the saying is applicable to the auto industry, it’s now.

The seriousness by which every automaker is treating autonomous driving technology and connectivity systems has become so rampant that they should actually hold a race of sorts to see which company can launch a fully automated car with state-of-the-art connectivity features first. In fact, a television network should think about turning that into some kind of reality show!

All joking aside, this is why I love the auto industry. This is why covering the industry is so much fun because we get to see the rabid passion and relentless pursuit in the development of new technologies. Nissan-Renault’s decision to set up a research facility in Silicon Valley is a brilliant move in that regard. Instead of having this facility in the middle of God-knows-where, the company went straight to the most technologically advanced address in the entire world. Why? Because it wants to be at the center of all the action, allowing it to experience the kind of technological advancements that only happen in Silicon Valley right in its own backyard.

Information-sharing with some of the largest tech firms in the world is an obvious play here for Nissan-Renault because of the convenience that comes with being neighbors to a lot of these companies. It's a genius move if you think about it.

So yeah, I'm calling it now. If Nissan-Renault is the first company to hit the market with an autonomous driving vehicle, its decision to set up shop in Silicon Valley will have a lot to do with it.