Pacifica hybrid to test self-driving technology
The Windsor-built Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is leading Fiat Chrysler’s charge into the brave new world of autonomous driving amid word Monday that Google will be launching a test fleet of 100 selfdriving minivans next year in the U.S.
Waymo, the tech giant’s newly minted self-driving division, said it would use the plug-in, electric hybrid minivans to serve realworld customers in real-world situations.
“Further proof you can teach an old body style new tricks, the revitalized Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivan is showcasing Google
Waymo’s newest technology,” said Rebecca Lindland, senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book. “This program provides consumers exposure to self-driving vehicles, and exposure usually leads to comfort with and adoption of similar features available in personal use vehicles.”
The joint FCA-Waymo project is part of a partnership forged earlier this year to incorporate Google’s self-driving technology into the Pacifica hybrid, which began production at the Windsor Assembly Plant on Dec. 2.
The vehicles are currently being outfitted with Waymo’s fully self-driving technology, including a purpose-built computer and a suite of sensors, telematics and other systems, and will join Waymo’s self-driving test fleet in early 2017.
Engineering modifications to the minivan’s electrical, powertrain, chassis and structural systems were implemented to optimize the Pacifica hybrid for Waymo’s fully self-driving technology, FCA said.
“The Pacifica hybrid will be a great addition to our fully selfdriving test fleet. FCA’s product development and manufacturing teams have been agile partners, enabling us to go from program kickoff to full vehicle assembly in just six months,” John Krafcik, Waymo CEO, said in a statement.
The race for the autonomous car is heating up, with a flurry of recent announcements by major U.S. and Canadian software and automotive players, including Waterloo-based BlackBerry, which launched Monday the Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Centre in Ottawa.
The company recently received approvals from the Ministry of Transportation to test autonomous vehicles on Ontario roads as part of a pilot program.
In Michigan, General Motors announced it would immediately begin testing autonomous Chevrolet Bolts on the state’s roads.
Locally, efforts are underway to establish Windsor and Essex County as an autonomous driving research and development hub.
The WindsorEssex Economic Development Corp. organized a brainstorming session Dec. 12 with a group of University of Windsor researchers involved in self-driving projects, such as vehicle-tovehicle communication.
The ultimate goal is to establish an autonomous driving research and development centre at the university, said Kemal Tepe, acting head of the department of electrical and computer engineering. “This is our hope and we will continue to work on it.
“Windsor is in a better position than any other place in Canada because every auto company has an R&D centre within 50 kilometres. We can have cross-border partnerships.”
Stephen MacKenzie, CEO of the agency, said the group will continue to meet likely monthly and attempt to draw in auto manufacturers as well as Tier 1 parts companies.
“The group will jointly promote the region as an important participant in the connected and autonomous vehicle sector,” said MacKenzie.
Dave Monk, a Lakeshore councillor, is the lone Windsor and Essex County representative on the Municipal Alliance for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles in Ontario — a newly formed subcommittee of the Ontario Good Roads Association.
More local representation is needed on the committee, designed to establish a single point of contact for all Ontario municipalities interested in testing autonomous vehicles, said Monk.
“We need to make sure our needs are met with future infrastructure for our economy,” he said. “This is such a big change. It’s like the dotcom revolution, and I want Windsor-Essex to be part of that. That’s why I’m looking forward to other municipal politicians, academics and private companies joining this.”
Waymo and FCA located part of their engineering teams at a facility in southeastern Michigan to accelerate the overall development process.
Extensive testing was carried out at FCA’s Chelsea Proving Grounds in Chelsea, Mich., and Arizona Proving Grounds in Yucca, Ariz., as well as Waymo test sites in California.
“As consumers’ transportation needs evolve, strategic collaborations such as this one are vital to promoting a culture of innovation, safety and technology,” said FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne.
“Our partnership with Waymo enables FCA to directly address the opportunities and challenges the automotive industry faces as we quickly approach a future where fully self-driving vehicles are very much a part of our daily lives.”
Self-driving cars have the potential to prevent the 1.2 million deaths that occur each year on roads worldwide, 94 per cent of which are caused by human error, the automaker said.
“This collaboration will help FCA and Waymo better understand what it will take to bring self-driving cars into the world.”