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FCA, Waymo expand plans: 62,000 more self-driving vehicles, potential retail sales

If you live in Phoenix, you may have seen one of Waymo's 600 autonomous Chrysler Pacifica Hybrids ferrying passengers around town. You may have even been one of the riders. You're likely to see a lot more of them, too. Today, FCA announced that it will deliver up to 62,000 additional Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid's to Google's automated driving technology company. The expansion of the partnership between FCA and Waymo goes beyond growing the fleet. The companies have also announced that they're considering making Waymo's tech commercially available to FCA vehicle retail customers through a possible licensing partnership. FCA would build the cars, and Waymo would provide the self-driving system. "FCA is committed to bringing self-driving technology to our customers in a manner that is safe, efficient and realistic," said FCA boss Sergio Marchionne. Waymo CEO John Krafcik added, "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. We're excited to deepen our relationship with FCA that will support the launch of our driverless service, and explore future products that support Waymo's mission." That service, expected to launch later this year, will allow the public to use Waymo's app to hail a ride from one of its self-driving minivans. To date, vehicles equipped with Waymo automated driving tech have logged over 6 million cumulative miles in testing. As of late last year, Waymo's self-driving cars needed far less human intervention than the competition. Earlier this year, Waymo also announced a partnership with Jaguar Land Rover to deploy autonomous Jaguar I-Pace EVs. The plans for an expanded partnership come on the same day Japan's SoftBank announced a $2.2 billion investment in GM's Cruise self-driving division. Related Video: News Source: FCA, WaymoImage Credit: Joe White / Reuters Green Chrysler Technology Emerging Technologies Minivan/Van Autonomous Vehicles Electric Hybrid Sergio Marchionne Waymo john krafcik

Recharge Wrap-up: Nissan Murano Hybrid in China, FCA hearts E15

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has approved the use of E15 in its 2016 model year vehicles. The Renewable Fuels Association is pleased with the automaker's choice to cover the higher ethanol blend in its warranty statements, describing it as a positive signal for the future growth of E15. "FCA's decision to join GM and Ford provides clear evidence that the tide on E15 has turned," says RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen. "The automaker's decision not to embrace E15 had been a major point of concern and tension for the last three years." Read more from the RFA. Skoda's head of purchasing, Dieter Seemann, discusses sourcing EV components in a new interview. He says the biggest challenge is seeking out future suppliers for electric motor and connected vehicle components. "We have to really understand what happens in this business to identify the right partners to have in five to eight years from now," says Seemann. "Many of these are suppliers completely new to us." He says Skoda purchases 50 to 55 percent of its parts directly, while chassis and powertrain parts are shared among other Volkswagen Group brands. Read the full interview at Automotive News Europe. Nissan is helping the European Commission develop a pedestrian alert system for electric vehicles. Called Electric Vehicle Alert for Detection and Emergency Response (eVADER), the project aims to develop technology that provides audible cues to alert pedestrians to oncoming vehicles without contributing to noise pollution. Nissan created a system for the Leaf that uses a camera to recognize pedestrians and cyclists and direct a sound in their direction. This work will help the EU shape its laws moving forward. Read more at Electric Cars Report. The Nissan Murano Hybrid has gone on sale in China. The Murano Hybrid is powered by a supercharged 2.5-liter engine and an electric motor with lithium-ion battery. The hybrid uses Nissan's All Mode 4x4-i all-wheel-drive system, and is equipped with a host of safety technology. The new Murano helps Nissan cater to China's growing demand for SUVs, and is also part of the "Young Nissan" strategy. Read more at Green Car Congress, or in the press release below. Nissan introduces the all-new Murano to China SHANGHAI, China(August 8, 2015) – Nissan today announced that the all-new Murano, including the hybrid version, is officially available for sale from its joint venture in China, Dongfeng Nissan Passenger vehicle company (DFL-PV).

Fiat Chrysler, Waymo expand partnership for Level 4 self-driving

Fiat Chrysler and Waymo, the self-driving unit of Google parent Alphabet Co., are expanding their partnership in an ambitious plan to develop fully autonomous commercial delivery vehicles and integrate Level 4 autonomous technology across the FCA fleet, the two companies said Wednesday. The agreement makes FCA (soon to be dubbed Stellantis when the PSA merger is complete) the exclusive partner for Waymo to develop and test self-driving Class 1-3 light commercial delivery vehicles. Initial efforts will focus on integrating the Waymo Driver system into the Ram ProMaster cargo van for commercial fleets, including Waymo Via, which have seen demand for home delivery services mushroom during the coronavirus pandemic. Conversely, FCA has tapped Waymo as its exclusive supplier for Level 4 self-driving technology across its vehicle fleet, opening up possibilities for ride-hailing and personal-use vehicles. An FCA spokesman would not commit to any timelines for integrating Waymo’s self-driving technology into the ProMaster or other brands or models. The Society of Automotive Engineers defines Level 4 systems as fully automated driving, though a human driver can manually override and take control of the wheel. There are currently no Level 4 autonomous vehicles offered to customers, and most experts believe the technology still faces many obstacles to broad adoption and regulatory clearance. Fiat Chrysler first partnered with Waymo in 2016. The two companies have worked to test WaymoÂ’s Level 4 technology using retrofitted Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans. “Our now four-year partnership with Waymo continues to break new ground,” Mike Manley, Fiat ChryslerÂ’s CEO, said in a statement. “Incorporating the Waymo Driver, the worldÂ’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.” Waymo recently introduced its fifth generation of the Waymo Driver system, which it completely redesigned to be able to handle more environments and situations. It combines 360-degree lidar sensors positioned atop the vehicle and at four points around the sides, plus cameras and radars. Waymo said it had already manufactured the new sensors and integrated them onto Jaguar I-Pace test vehicles.