Fiat Chrysler and Google announced Tuesday they will work together to increase to more than double the fleet of autonomous vehicles Google with 100 trucks Chrysler Pacifica.
AP
The companies said Chrysler engineers collaborate with Google to install sensors and software for trucks to be driven alone.
The new vehicles are needed for expanding Google tests in real situations. Google says it will own hybrid trucks and it will not license its technology to Chrysler Fiat or another company. Both companies also are free to collaborate with others.
Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The increase in the number of vehicles is necessary now that Google will expand its real tests in four cities, including Mountain View, California; Austin, Texas; Kirkland, Washington and Phoenix area. Google will initially test trucks in California private track, but eventually will go on public roads.
It is the first time that Google works directly with an automotive company in the installation of sensors and computers. The 100 newly redesigned pickups will have a "unique building" autonomous technology for Google, said Fiat Chrysler (FCA for its acronym in English) said in a statement. Both companies have engineers at a location near Detroit to work on vehicles.
"The opportunity to work closely with engineers FCA will accelerate our efforts to develop a fully autonomous vehicle that makes the roads safer," said John Krafcik, project manager of Google.
The FCA deal would give the advantage in the manufacture of vehicles for Google because its engineers acquire experience regarding the needs of Google. But no company commented on possible future agreements.
The current project of Google, which has seven years and now belongs to the so-called X Alphabet Laboratory Inc - the parent company of Google - has 21 Lexus trucks modified for autonomous driving, plus 33 small cars.
Fiat Chrysler - which has overtaken larger and richer competitors such as Volkswagen AG and General Motors Co. in the development of autonomous vehicles - receives with open arms the opportunity to test technology Google. The Italian-American automaker also has manufacturing expertise and factories that Google lacks.
Google has set the goal of getting the public autonomous vehicles by 2020.