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Waymo self-driving taxis in Arizona are now carrying paying passengers

CHANDLER, Ariz. — Alphabet's Waymo on Wednesday launched a significant development in its costly, decade-long quest for autonomous transportation: Its self-driving taxis are now actually generating fares. With little fanfare, the company has begun charging passengers to use its driverless vehicles in a roughly 100-mile (160 km) zone in four Phoenix suburbs — Chandler, Tempe, Mesa and Gilbert — where it has been testing its technology since 2016. Producing revenue is a strategic milestone, putting Waymo ahead of U.S. rivals, primarily General Motors' Cruise Automation and Uber Technologies, which have yet to launch their own paid self-driving services. All are racing to win customers and recoup billions spent developing the technology. To use Waymo's service, dubbed Waymo One, riders must download an app and provide a credit card number, similar to ride-sharing services Uber and Lyft. A human driver will be behind the wheel, but only to intervene in case of emergency. Major challenges remain, starting with technical hurdles. A Waymo One taxi tested by Reuters last week proved slow and jerky at times. Whether customers will continue using the service once the novelty wears off remains to be seen. Regulations governing the industry across the country are an incoherent patchwork, a significant hurdle to fast expansion. Waymo would not say exactly how many of its cars would be on the road in Arizona. It said its around-the-clock service initially would be limited to "hundreds" of people invited to sign up last year. For now, pricing is roughly in line with that of Uber and Lyft. A 15-minute, 3-mile (4.8 km) drive taken by Reuters last week cost $7.59, just above the $7.22 offered by Lyft. "Over time, we hope to make Waymo One available to even more members of the public," Chief Executive John Krafcik wrote in a blog on Wednesday. "Self-driving technology is new to many, so we're proceeding carefully." 10 million miles, $1 billion The company has been testing its driverless cars for a decade. Its fleet, now numbering 600 vehicles, has logged more than 10 million miles on public roads in and around 25 U.S. cities. Alphabet does not disclose its total investment, but industry experts put that sum at well over $1 billion. Monetizing driverless technology has been slow going.

Reid Bigland appointed CEO of Alfa Romeo, Maserati

There's been a big shakeup in Fiat Chrysler's leadership team, as head of US sales and FCA Canada CEO Reid Bigland will replace Harald Wester as the chief exec for Alfa Romeo and Maserati. Wester will retain his position as chief technical officer of FCA. Both men will hang onto their positions on FCA's Group Executive Council. The move is an interesting one considering the widely publicized issues at both Alfa and Maserati. Alfa Romeo's problems are almost too many to list. The brand has promised a full-scale return to the US market for more than a decade, but faced repeated delays. Its latest volume model, the Giulia, is being savaged by reviewers over quality issues, and the company has frequently pushed its upcoming CUV back. If that were the only problem, it'd be annoying, but according to Automotive News, Alfa's relaunch is also considerably over budget. Maserati is an entirely different can of worms. Alongside Alfa, it's been stung by a slow Chinese market. Profits are down, according to Automotive News, and it's been widely rumored that the company will delay its next sports car, the Alfieri, until 2018 – it was previously promised for this year. Meanwhile, two of its three other models, the Quattroporte and GranTurismo, are dangerously long in the tooth, and the Levante is still months away from US sales. Can Bigland sort these issues out? Maybe. As Sergio Marchionne said in his official statement, "[Bigland] has an extraordinary record of growing sales and market share in the US and Canada over the last 7 years at FCA, including leading the growth and positioning of the Ram and Dodge brands for part of that time."

2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Long-Term Update | Luxury steering wheel leaves us cold

Our 2018 Chrysler Pacifica, being the Limited trim, is a pretty plush place in which to spend some time, with Nappa leather seats, heating and ventilation for those seats, eight-way power adjustments for both front occupants, a heated steering wheel, and seat-mounted screens for the rear. In the black and cream combo of our van, it's a light, airy, and borderline luxurious place to be. But the steering wheel has begun to bother us. Chrysler calls it the "Luxury" steering wheel, and it's exclusive to the Limited trim. It's lovely in appearance with dark leather on the outside, light leather on the inside, and a real metal ring separating the two. Unfortunately, now that it's become bitterly cold in Michigan, the metal ring is freezing our palms. And although the wheel is heated, the only parts that get warm are the leather sections. So while the rest of our hands feel toasty, each one has a slim line that stays chilled where they contact the metal trim. View 12 Photos In the words of LeVar Burton, don't just take my word for it. Assistant Editor Zac Palmer was frustrated by it, too, and feels it betrays the practical nature of the minivan: "I'm a firm believer in function over form in nearly every circumstance. A minivan is the ultimate expression of function in the automotive world, but the steering wheel on our Pacifica does not follow that philosophy. The large metal band going all the way around the leather wheel nearly eliminates the benefit of the warm, heated steering wheel. Once this gets cold, it stays cold, and there's nothing you can do except take solace in the fact that it looks pretty as your palms rest on icy metal." If you're like us and dislike cold hands, the good news is that the wheel isn't featured on the Pacifica Hybrid Touring Plus or Touring L trims. Both also offer packages with heated steering wheels and seats. Of course, skipping the Limited trim does mean missing out on a number of nice luxury features, such as the Nappa leather, 8-way power passenger seat and front seat ventilation, plus dual rear entertainment screens and a Blu-ray player. So you'll have to weigh your priorities to determine whether this steering wheel is worth living with. And if you do have to have the Limited trim, perhaps we could point you toward some driving gloves for the winter months? Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.