Google to Put Self-Driving Cars Through Rainy-Day Paces

Google on Wednesday announced that it has chosen Kirkland, Washington, as the next location to test its self-driving cars.

It picked Kirkland as the third test city to give the cars more experience driving in new environments, traffic patterns and road conditions, the company said.

Google has conducted testing mainly at or near its campus in Mountain View, California. Last year it expanded to Austin, Texas.

Its self-driving cars have racked up 1.4 million miles, the company said, adding that people in Kirkland soon may be able to catch a glimpse of the latest test vehicle, a Lexus RX450h.

The move to Kirkland will allow the autonomous team to experience different — notably wetter — conditions, while the area outside of Seattle is known for its winding roads and quick changes in elevation, according to Google.