The company said Wednesday it will open a self-driving technology development center in Novi, Michigan, a city about 30 miles from downtown Detroit. Google is expanding efforts to make autonomous cars at a time startups such as Uber Technologies Inc. and Comma.ai, as well as established companies like General Motors Co. are investing in the technology. “Many of our current partners are based here, so having a local facility will help us collaborate more easily and access Michigan’s top talent in vehicle development and engineering,” the company wrote in a blog post. “At this 53,000-square-foot development center, our engineers, working with local partners, will further develop and refine self-driving technology.”