Google creates virtual reality division, looks for car partners

Google is expanding it's plans for virtual reality. I'm Bridget Carey, this is your CNet update. [MUSIC] It appears that 2016. 2016 will be the year of virtual reality and Google is hungry to rule the VR space. The company has created a division just to focus on virtual reality products. And the guy that used to run Gmail and Google Docs is now in charge of VR. Google already dabbles in VR with its cardboard headset. Kind of works with GoPro to create a ring for creating 360-degree videos. It's called Jump. Google is likely amping up its efforts because it doesn't wanna be left in Facebook's virtual dust with the oculus wrist headset. That just began taking pre-orders, costing $600 and ships in March. Expect VR to be a talking point in major in Google's annual I/O developer's conference. It takes place on May 18th. This event has gone on for ten years and it's where we check out software updates, and we see Google's biggest ideas on display. I/O is where Google Glass made its debut. Car Talk is also likely to be the focus of the event. And the location this year is the Shoreline amphitheatre in Mountanview, California, which just so happens to have a large parking lot to show off Car Tech, and it's also right next to Google's campus. Over at the Detroit Auto Show, going on now, Google is looking to work with more traditional car companies. The new head of self driving cars at Google said that he wants to make partnerships with car makers, because he says Google can't do this alone. The Wall Street Journal For reports that Google is in talks with Ford. But you don't need a Google car to drive the new ways of Google. An update to the maps App on Android has a new driving mode. As first reported by Android Police, driving mode is looking at your habits and search history, To predict where you're going to go during a drive. And then it'll give advice about upcoming road delays, and you can search for nearby things on your route. And its all by guessing where you're going. Maps version 9.19 may roll out to Android users by the end of the week, but Google has not formally announced The feature. That's it for this tech news update, you can catch up on all the latest news at CNet. Com. From our studios in New York, I'm Bridget Carey. [BLANK_AUDIO]