FCA and Waymo announced progress on the expansion of their autonomous driving technology partnership.
The two companies will initially target integration of the Waymo Driver into the Ram ProMaster van, a configurable platform that will enable access to a broad range of global commercial customers.
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This partnership will allow FCA and Waymo to use their respective strengths and abilities to determine how to effectively use autonomy to address the specific needs of commercial customers given the rapid growth of goods delivery services.
FCA also has selected Waymo as its exclusive, strategic partner for L4 autonomous technology across its fleet and has already started to work with Waymo to develop future products for the movement of people and goods operated by the Waymo Driver.
“Our now four year partnership continues to break new ground,” said FCA CEO Mike Manley.
“By incorporating the Waymo Driver, the world’s leading self-driving technology, into our Pacifica minivans, we became the only partnership actually deploying fully autonomous technology in the real world, on public roads.
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By GlobalData“With this next step, deepening our relationship with the very best technology partner, we’re turning to the needs of our commercial customers by jointly enabling self driving for light commercial vehicles, starting with the Ram ProMaster.
“Adding Waymo’s commitment to partner with us to deploy its L4 fully autonomous technology across our entire product portfolio, our partnership is setting the pace for the safe and sustainable mobility solutions that will help define the automotive world in the years and decades to come.”
“FCA was our first OEM partner and we’ve come a long way together,” said Waymo CEO John Krafcik.
“The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans were the first vehicles in our Waymo One fleet and, guided by the Driver, have now safely and reliably driven more fully autonomous miles than any other vehicle on the planet.
“Today, we’re expanding our partnership with FCA as the exclusive L4 autonomy solution for this global automotive company.
“Together, we’ll introduce the 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 Driver into FCA vehicles and claim to have made self driving history in the proven Pacifica minivan.
This partnership has led to the first commercial autonomous ride hailing service, including the offering of fully driverless service to riders, as well as driving in dozens of cities across diverse geographies and challenging weather conditions.
