Google are working with self-driving cars, but they are not alone in their conquest for Johnny Cabs driving us anywhere we want while we update our Facebook status. Nissan have joined the self-driving ranks, opening up a new advanced research center in California.

The new R&D center will specialize in self-driving and connected cars, and when speaking to Bloomberg, Nissan's Senior VP for North America R&D, Carla Bailo, said that the new R&D facility will house over 60 engineers and technicians over the next three or so years, and that the move from Japan to the United States is about shifting Nissan's work "to the heart of the industry".

Nissan won't be alone, as they'll be facing competition in Silicon Valley with Toyota and Volkswagon - and just a little self-drive away in Mountain View, Google. Nissan will also enjoy the resources that Stanford University's automotive labs has, as well as the University of California's Berkeley and Davis campuses.

Bailo has said that we should see the fruits of their self-driving labor in new products within ten years.