What Happened to Self-Driving Cars by FCA?
Back in late 2018, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) announced that it was going to invest $30 million to take its Chelsea Proving Grounds and turn it into an Autonomous Testing Facility for self-driving vehicles available for retail. Well, it’s been three years and there really is no real news about autonomous features coming to FCA models. Not only that, but with the FCA merging with the PSA Groupe to create Stellantis, it would seem that the focus has shifted to hybrid cars and electric vehicle (EV) development. Has the automobile group abandoned the idea of self-driving vehicles, or is it just on the backburner?
When FCA first invested to transform the Chelsea Proving Grounds, the goal was to produce and test self-driving vehicles that would eventually be made available to the public. This was mostly inspired by the recent success of the Google/ABC self-driving Waymo project and the involvement of Chrysler with the Pacifica minivan being used as the flagship model for the Waymo car – initially. If Google could take the Chrysler Pacifica and make it a successful autonomous vehicle, why couldn’t an automaker? That was the spark to add numerous expansions to the Chelsea Proving Grounds, but self-driving vehicles for retail will prove to be troublesome.
Waymo has already had its own problems getting certification for the mass market. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has high standards and many rules that automobiles must meet before they’re made available to the market, and so far, the Waymo and the NHTSA are at odds. If Google/ABC can’t change the rules, then we can’t imagine an automaker having better luck. Regardless, the deal between Waymo and Fiat Chrysler continues, even with the merger, and in the summer of 2020, the deal expanded to make use of Alphabet’s Waymo autonomous driving technology in Ram commercial vehicles.
This little development will be mostly dedicated to the Ram ProMaster light commercial vehicle lineup, but the plan is to use Waymo’s Level 4 autonomous driving technology in upcoming models. Level 4 autonomy is a pretty big deal when it comes to leaving the driving up to a machine. Level 4 vehicles can operate in self-driving mode and have been making headway with ridesharing companies – the Waymo One car sharing program is a great example of this. With a steering wheel installed for manual control, Level 4 autonomous vehicles can only use self-driving mode in certain areas, usually in low-speed areas.
There are a total of six levels for autonomous driving, but automakers aren’t quite there yet. Even the 2022 Jeep Compass, revealed to have self-driving features during the 2021 Chicago Auto Show, still requires the driver to keep their hands on the wheel. It’s more like a chaperone where the system helps keep the vehicle centered in the lane and makes use of adaptive cruise control for a comfortable and safe ride without having to constantly monitor the small things. Not quite auto-pilot, but a nice touch to the SUV.
After 2020, the automotive industry seems to have shifted towards EV development and forgot about self-driving cars. Was autonomous car tech just a fad? Let us know your thoughts on Aventura Chrysler Jeep Dodge Rams social media.