Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and Waymo announced the two companies have taken the next significant steps in the expansion of their autonomous driving technology partnership.
Waymo will now work exclusively with FCA as its preferred partner for the development and testing of class 1-3 light commercial vehicles for goods movement for commercial delivery customers including Waymo Via. The two companies will initially target integration of the Waymo Driver into the Ram ProMaster van, a highly configurable platform that will enable access to a broad range of global commercial customers.
FCA also has selected Waymo as its exclusive, strategic partner for L4 autonomous technology across the FCA fleet, and has already started to work with Waymo to imagine future FCA products for the movement of people and goods operated by the Waymo Driver.
"Today, we’re expanding our partnership with FCA with the Waymo Driver as the exclusive L4 autonomy solution for this global automotive company," Waymo CEO John Krafcik said in a statement. "Together, we’ll introduce the Waymo Driver throughout the FCA brand portfolio, opening up new frontiers for ride-hailing, commercial delivery, and personal use vehicles around the world.”
FCA became Waymo’s first OEM partner in 2016. Since then, the two companies have worked closely to integrate the Waymo Driver into FCA vehicles with the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan. This partnership has led to the first commercial autonomous ride-hailing service, including the offering of fully driverless service to riders.
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SOURCE: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
