Chrysler Pacifica autonomous by Google Waymo
Google’s renaming of
its autonomous vehicle division to Waymo, and the company has already revealed
its first product, adding 100 units of self-driving Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid MPVs
to its fleet as part of a collaboration with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA).
Pacificas were chosen because the company needed
more types of vehicles to refine and test its advanced driving software. With
the MPVs, Waymo claims that it is able to learn how people of all ages, shapes,
and group sizes would use its self-driving technology.
Waymo has been working on the vehicles with FCA
since May, with a joint programme team designing and engineering modifications
that allow the company to integrate its new fully-autonomous systems. These
include a suite of updated sensors, an all-new computer and other major system
updates.
The companies had already put the Pacificas through
various tests ahead of the start of production in October, including over 200 hours
of extreme weather testing. The early prototypes were put through their paces
at Waymo’s testing facility in California, as well as FCA’s Chelsea Proving
Grounds and Arizona Proving Grounds. The new cars are slated to enter public
roads next year.
