Stellantis is doubling down on its collaboration with autonomous vehicle technology company Waymo, CEO Carlos Tavares revealed in an interview with TechCrunch.
The enhanced partnership will center on the development of commercial self-driving Ram delivery vans, a project initially unveiled in 2020 but subsequently faded from public attention. Tavares disclosed that ongoing discussions have focused on a crucial aspect of driverless delivery: the final step of transferring packages from the vehicle to the customer.
See also: California Regulator Delays Waymo’s Robotaxi Expansion Amid Safety Concerns
“When you reach the destination, how do you take the parcel out of the van?” Tavares queried. “This has been a point of discussion that doesn’t seem easy to solve, and we are now upgrading our collaboration deal with them to take that into consideration.”
He hinted at additional engineering contributions from Stellantis to meet Waymo’s requirements, refraining from divulging specific details but teasing that the partnership is evolving into something more substantial and promising.
While Tavares remained coy about specific timelines, he hinted at the possibility of revealing more information “possibly by summer.”
See also: Waymo’s Expansion Plans in Los Angeles Face Potential Regulatory Hurdles
A Waymo spokesperson confirmed the ongoing exploration of ways to deepen the relationship with Stellantis but declined to provide further insights or updates on progress.
Tavares’ remarks suggest a renewed commitment to a partnership that appeared at risk of fizzling out, echoing the fate of many other autonomous vehicle-OEM collaborations in recent years.
However, even if a broader agreement is reached, the execution remains a formidable challenge.
Waymo, a subsidiary of Google parent-company Alphabet, presently lacks a commercial delivery service utilizing its self-driving technology. Last year, it shuttered its self-driving trucks program, Waymo Via, to focus on scaling its robotaxi service.
See also: Waymo Publishes Safety Data, Claims 85% Reduction in Crash Injuries for Autonomous Vehicles
Despite previous agreements, such as the strategic partnership with Uber in May 2023 to integrate driverless vehicles into the Uber app in Phoenix, concrete delivery services have yet to materialize.
The collaboration between Stellantis and Waymo dates back to 2016 when the automaker supplied Waymo with customized Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans, marking the debut of driverless vehicles. However, Waymo fell short of the ambitious 62,000-minivan order agreed upon in 2018, receiving only a fraction of the promised vehicles.
While Waymo has transitioned to using all-electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles for its robotaxi service, the prospect of self-driving Ram delivery vans signals a renewed chapter in the partnership between the automotive and technology sectors.
