Google-owned
Waymo is adding as many as 62,000 Fiat Chrysler minivans to its autonomous
fleet in an expanded collaboration announced by the companies on Thursday.
Delivery
of the Chrysler Pacifica minivans is expected to begin later this year, with
the automaker also trying to build Waymo technology into a self-driving car it
might add to its model line-up for consumers.
"FCA
is committed to bringing self-driving technology to our customers in a manner
that is safe, efficient and realistic," chief executive officer Sergio
Marchionne said in a statement.
"Strategic
partnerships, such as the one we have with Waymo, will help to drive innovative
technology to the forefront."
Waymo
plans to launch the "world's first self-driving transportation
service" this year, with people able to summon rides from driverless
vehicles using a smartphone application.
The
announcement was made a day after Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
reportedly said at a Code technology conference that the company is speaking
with Waymo about putting its cars to work at the smartphone-summoned ride
service.
Uber
early this year negotiated a settlement with Waymo over trade secrets
purportedly purloined from the self-driving unit of Google-parent Alphabet.
Uber
suspended its own autonomous car testing in April after an accident that killed
a woman pushing a bicycle in a street in Arizona.
Waymo
CEO John Krafcik has publicly contended that the fatal accident involving a
self-driving Uber car would not have occurred with his company's technology.
"Waymo's
goal from day one has been to build the world's most experienced driver and
give people access to self-driving technology that will make our roads
safer," Waymo chief executive John Krafcik said in a joint release with
Fiat.
Fiat
and Waymo first announced a self-driving car partnership two years ago, and
said that engineers from their companies have been working together since then.
Fiat
has delivered 600 Pacifica Hybrid minivans to Waymo so far, the companies said.
Earlier this year the companies said "thousands" more would be added.
Waymo
and Jaguar Land Rover in March announced they have joined forces on a posh,
self-driving electric car tailored for a ride-hailing service run by the
Google-owned firm.
Waymo
and Jaguar said they aim to develop a "premium self-driving electric
vehicle" based on a new I-PACE model.
Waymo
appeared to be hitting the accelerator in a race for leadership in autonomous
ridesharing, which involves most major automakers, technology developers and
services such as Uber and Lyft.
Separately,
Japanese telecom giant SoftBank said Thursday it will invest $2.25 billion in
General Motors' autonomous car program in exchange for a stake in the venture.
The
investment from the SoftBank Vision Fund in the GM Cruise Holdings will be
executed in two stages, with the first $900 million coming after the
transaction is finalized and another $1.35 billion once GM vehicles are ready
for commercialization.
GM
has said it plans to commercialize its Cruise program in 2019 through
ridesharing.
Phys.org.
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