Google’s self-driving to be tested on Fiat Chrysler plug-in hybrid minivans

Chrysler Pacifica Forum

Help Support Chrysler Pacifica Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

blacksmith

Well-known member
Joined
May 27, 2016
Messages
89
Exciting news for Chrysler Pacifica Forum members. Self driving technologies in Chrysler Pacifica Plug in!

Alphabet Inc's Google unit has agreed to buy about 100 plug-in hybrid minivans from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV to expand its self-driving vehicle testing program, the two companies said on Tuesday -- in the most advanced partnership to date between Silicon Valley and a carmaker.

The vehicles will not be offered for sale to the public. Unlike prior testing in which Google bought Toyota Motor Corp vehicles from dealers and retrofitted them, the search engine giant will work with FCA directly on the test models.

Under the agreement, FCA will equip around 100 of the Chrysler Pacifica minivans it launched in February with Google's self-driving technology. The deal does not preclude either FCA or Google from cooperating with others, the companies said in a statement.

The deal marks the first time that Google has worked directly with an automaker "to integrate its self-driving system, including its sensors and software, into a passenger vehicle," the statement said.

The additional vehicles will more than double Google's testing fleet. Google is now testing self-driving vehicles in four U.S. cities.

Fiat Chrysler "will initially design and engineer around 100 vehicles uniquely built for Google's self-driving technology. Google will integrate the suite of sensors and computers that the vehicles will rely on to navigate roads autonomously," the statement said.

The firms will co-locate part of their engineering teams at a facility in southeastern Michigan to accelerate the design, testing and manufacturing of the vehicles.

"FCA has a nimble and experienced engineering team and the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan is well-suited for Google's self-driving technology," said John Krafcik, chief executive of the Google Self-Driving Car Project.

"Working with Google provides an opportunity for FCA to partner with one of the world's leading technology companies to accelerate the pace of innovation in the automotive industry," Fiat Chrysler Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne said in a statement. "The experience both companies gain will be fundamental to delivering automotive technology solutions that ultimately have far-reaching consumer benefits."
FCA is lagging rivals in technology development and with a net debt pile of 6.6 billion euros lacks the cash to invest. Google has said that it does not want to build self-driving vehicles on its own and has explored alliances with auto companies, but none have been finalised.

Executives at other automakers, including Ford Motor , General Motors and Daimler , have expressed wariness about alliances with Alphabet or other technology companies that could relegate them to the role of hardware suppliers. Marchionne has long argued that a huge amount of capital is wasted by carmakers developing the same technology and tie-ups among the big players were needed to boost profitability.

The self-driving Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivans will be tested by Google's self-driving car team on its private test track in California prior to operating on public roads.
 
That's a really good news. I'd like my Chrysler Pacifica to have self driving tech.
 
Self-driving technology should be perceived as a novelty not something that allows us to be distracted when we're driving
 
Lol I'm a bit old school I would like them to smooth out the wrinkles of self-driving technology before I rely on it
 
Tessy said:
Lol I'm a bit old school I would like them to smooth out the wrinkles of self-driving technology before I rely on it

I think they're woking on it. Once the technology comes, they'll manage to fix the issues within no time at all.
 
Awesome! I'm so excited about the self-driving technology! It's like sci-fi movies coming alive!
 
It is really exciting over the last month self-driving technology has just exploded in the news
 
A huge flurry of autonomous vehicles came out in the last month however we are seeing some news apps now that are stating they want to go a bit slower and iron out the Kinks before making the self-driving vehicle mainstream
 
Give the technology a year and it will either be Immaculate or it will have gone on the Wayside as certain tweaks will not be ironed out or have the capability to be ironed out
 
How does the self-driving work is it all on its own or can it be used as a driver assist? I was thinking this might be great for elderly drivers if it could be as a driver assist their reaction not any fault of their own but their reaction time is slower now and this would give them some forewarning
 
Manufactures are now taking seriously the impact of advertising a vehicle as "self driving" More testing more testing more testing I say
 
I have to agree with anyone who would feel more comfortable with self driving if all vehicles were self driving. At least it would be an even playing field. I still worry about the mix of self driving and real drivers. The Chevy Bolt did a self driving dash cam 20 min drive around San Francisco and it was really impressive.
 
Back
Top