The Renault Nissan Alliance are preparing to open a research and development office across the street from Google's Mountain View, Calif., headquarters that will look to tap into Silicon Valley's engineering and technology braintrust. The company says it will staff up as projects dictate and focus on work related to its electric-car investments.

Nissan will use the Silicon Valley office to focus on vehicle IT research, including graphical user-interface displays, in-car Internet connectivity and smart-grid research. Nissan's "Carwings" telematics system, a standard in every Nissan LEAF, includes a seven-inch touchscreen with maps of recharging stations and real-time reports on energy consumption.