Google and Fiat Chrysler (FCA) have made it official that they’re teaming up to develop a hundred autonomous minivans that shall hit the roads by year end. The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Minivans shall feature plug-in drivetrains, and will soon join the fleet of Google’s booming self-driving test vehicles (with these cars developed the total strength of Google’s self-driving cars will be more that twice of what’s it at present). Adding minivans to the convoy makes much sense as more people could be accommodated per ride – the Pacifica houses eight people at once. The deal between the Internet giant and the automobile major was inked Tuesday. Google has, as of yet, not disclosed the financial aspects of the dealing, nor the time period of how long this partnership with FCA is meant to stand.
Fiat Chrysler was pretty slow in developing or acquiring the self-driving vehicle technology, whereas many other automakers have already made their move. General Motors in March announced the acquisition of startup Cruise Automation, where it’ll be employing the startup’s autonomous vehicle technology to further its own self-driving technology.
Google’s representative commented about this collaboration saying that teaming up will let both companies share engineering responsibilities as per the respective company’s competence, help them understand how to create a fully autonomous car that shall take you from place A to place B by just pressing a button, thus helping them realize the full potential of this technology. FCA shall be designing its Pacifica minvans in such a manner that it’ll become very simple for Google to install its own autonomous driving system – including the computer, the software, and the sensors that help the car manoeuvre around the surroundings. With minivans, the Internet company may also test its technology on a comparatively bigger vehicle.
The autonomous minivans shall be first tested by Google’s self-driving car team on the company’s private track in California before they let it run freely on public roads.
This is the first time that Google has ever directly collaborated with an automotive company, and they’re hopeful that their work will make transportation accessible and improve road safety for millions of people.
via: Google Self Driving Project
Google and Fiat Chrysler (FCA) have made it official that they’re teaming up to develop a hundred autonomous minivans that shall hit the roads by year end. The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Minivans shall feature plug-in drivetrains, and will soon join the fleet of Google’s booming self-driving test vehicles (with these cars developed the total strength of Google’s self-driving cars will be more that twice of what’s it at present). Adding minivans to the convoy makes much sense as more people could be accommodated per ride – the Pacifica houses eight people at once. The deal between the Internet giant and the automobile major was inked Tuesday. Google has, as of yet, not disclosed the financial aspects of the dealing, nor the time period of how long this partnership with FCA is meant to stand.
Fiat Chrysler was pretty slow in developing or acquiring the self-driving vehicle technology, whereas many other automakers have already made their move. General Motors in March announced the acquisition of startup Cruise Automation, where it’ll be employing the startup’s autonomous vehicle technology to further its own self-driving technology.
Google’s representative commented about this collaboration saying that teaming up will let both companies share engineering responsibilities as per the respective company’s competence, help them understand how to create a fully autonomous car that shall take you from place A to place B by just pressing a button, thus helping them realize the full potential of this technology. FCA shall be designing its Pacifica minvans in such a manner that it’ll become very simple for Google to install its own autonomous driving system – including the computer, the software, and the sensors that help the car manoeuvre around the surroundings. With minivans, the Internet company may also test its technology on a comparatively bigger vehicle.
The autonomous minivans shall be first tested by Google’s self-driving car team on the company’s private track in California before they let it run freely on public roads.
This is the first time that Google has ever directly collaborated with an automotive company, and they’re hopeful that their work will make transportation accessible and improve road safety for millions of people.
via: Google Self Driving Project