2005 Chrysler Sebring on 2040-cars

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FCA joins BMW, Intel and Mobileye on autonomous car project

Today, BMW, Intel and Mobileye announced that FCA would be joining their effort to build a sharable and scalable platform for autonomous cars. This project has been moving ahead full steam, with Intel purchasing Mobileye earlier this year, not long after Tesla and Mobileye parted ways. Not long after that, parts supplier Delphi joined the autonomous effort. The group's current goal is to have 40 autonomous test vehicles on the road by the end of 2017. The eventual end game is to create a new architecture that each partner can use and adapt to its needs. The platform will support level 3 to level 4/5 automated driving, and can be adapted to suit brand identity. The main headquarters for the effort will be in Germany. FCA staff will join the already established group of engineers from BMW, Intel and Mobileye. The group expects this new platform to hit the streets by 2021. It's unclear how this will affect FCA's relationship with Waymo, Alphabet's autonomous vehicle project. Waymo currently uses modified Chrysler Pacificas for its fleet. In addition to FCA, the trio of BMW, Intel and Mobileye have extended an invitation to any other automakers and suppliers that want to join the project. Related Video: News Source: BMW/Intel Green BMW Chrysler Fiat Autonomous Vehicles mobileye

2020 Chrysler Pacifica pricing set: Here's how Voyager and Pacifica lineups compare

Fiat-Chrysler shooed the irritant Dodge Grand Caravan out of the product mix for cannibalizing Pacifica sales, then created the Voyager to lure minivan buyers who need an inexpensive minivan fix across the lot. The 2020 Voyager L and LX, which replace the entry-level Pacifica L and Pacifica LX, costs $250 less than the respective 2019 Pacifica models. Chrysler's held the line on the starter Pacifica pricing while revamping the trim arrangement. For 2020, the Pacifica Touring becomes the base retail Pacifica model, and the Touring Plus goes away. Cars Direct has found that the 2020 minivan in base Touring trim will cost $34,990 after a $1,495 destination fee. That's the same price as the 2019 Touring Plus. Let's explain the trims before we get to the rest of the pricing, because it's a little funky. In 2019, the trim steps went Pacifica L, LX, fleet-only Touring, Touring Plus, Touring L, Touring L Plus, and Limited. Those first three iterations have become Voyagers L, LX, and LXi — the fleet-only 2019 Pacifica Touring has been replaced by the fleet-only 2020 Voyager LXi. So we'll recap the entire price lineup to make it clearer: Voyager L, $28,480 ($250 less than the 2019 Pacifica L) Voyager LX, $31,290 ($250 less than the 2019 Pacifica LX) Voyager LXi (fleet), $34,490 ($500 less than the now-retired, fleet-only 2019 Pacifica Touring) Pacifica Touring, $34,990 (Same price as the now-retired 2019 Pacifica Plus) Pacifica Touring L, $38,240 ($50 less than in 2019) Pacifica Touring L 35th Anniversary, $40,230 ($75 less than in 2019) Pacifica Touring L Plus, $41,040 ($100 less than in 2019) Pacifica Touring L Plus 35th Anniversary, $42,335 ($225 less than in 2019) Pacifica Limited, $45,940 ($250 less than in 2019) Pacifica Limited 35th Anniversary, $46,735 ($150 less than in 2019) Now that Fiat-Chrysler's rationalized the offerings, the absence of advanced technology features on the Voyager trims won't surprise anyone. Voyager infotainment begins and ends with the seven-inch Uconnect touchscreen; the larger 8.4-inch screen is forbidden. The Voyager LXi becomes the fleet model, sparing the Pacifica nameplate that ignominy. Driver assistance tech in Voyagers will be limited to the cost-extra rear park assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross traffic detection. Adaptive cruise control and autonomous braking aren't offered. If you want those, you have to shift up to the Pacifica Touring, which can add them with the $995 Advanced Safetytec Group.

The Chrysler Pacifica has clever 'Stow 'n Place' roof rack crossbars

While we focused yesterday on all the places you can store stuff (and especially bottles) inside the Toyota Sienna interior, today I thought I'd point out how another minivan makes it easier to store stuff up on the roof. The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica includes a clever integrated roof rack system dubbed "Stow 'N Place" that basically lets you store the cross bars on the van itself rather than somewhere in the garage. But wait, can't you always just leave crossbars on your car? Sure, if you want to live with extra wind noise and a fuel economy reduction. You see, the Pacifica stores them flush within a rail unit running length-wise with the roof. Basically, they're hidden away until you need them. The Subaru Outback has something similar to this, which we've previously reviewed. With its integrated crossbars, you just flip open a latch, fling the bar to the opposite side of the car and plug it in. Then repeat. It couldn't be simpler. Although the Chrysler system is more complicated, it does have a key advantage. Let's see how they work.  Chrysler tries to use chrome trim in order to create the visual illusion of raised roof rails from afar, but up close ... ... they clearly aren't. It's just a G.O.B.-grade illusion created by the chrome trim arching over black plastic trim.  You have to unscrew each end of the bars by turning these little pieces.  The bars are then completely detached from the van. You then have to articulate each of the bars so that they go from their straight, flush-mounted position to the necessary raised position. That's quite easy to do. Be careful, though as these suckers are sturdy metal. You don't want to drop one onto those fancy glass roof panels.  Subaru avoids all this and allows you to simply swing the bar across by utilizing a bulky rail housing that raises them up to the necessary height, but provides a visual that probably gives some car designers nightmares.   There are letters at each mounting point that align to those on a bar end. So, make sure to go A with A, D with D, etc.  However, you have two options for placing the C/D bar, meaning you're not stuck with a one-size-must-fit-all gap as with the Subaru. This is without question the advantage to Chrysler's approach here. So voila! What once didn't have crossbars now has them. It might not take seconds as with the Outback, but they're sure-as-hell quicker and easier to install than aftermarket crossbars.