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Waymo to Add Another 62,000 Minivans for Autonomous Fleet

Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo driverless vehicle unit plans to buy as many as 62,000 more Chrysler Pacifica minivans so it can expand its tests of driverless shuttles acrosst the U.S.

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Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo driverless vehicle unit plans to buy as many as 62,000 more Chrysler Pacifica minivans so it can expand its tests of driverless shuttles across the U.S.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said in January that it was preparing to supply “thousands” of additional hybrid minivans to support Waymo’s plan to extend evaluation of its autonomous-driving technology to 25 U.S. cities.

Waymo launched advanced tests of its autonomous-driving technology in about 100 Pacifica minivans two years ago. Those tests in Arizona involve transporting civilians in self-driving vehicles with a backup driver on board.

Waymo has since purchased another 500 of the hybrid-powered vehicles and spread its test program into California, Michigan, Nevada, Texas and Washington state. The testing also has expanded to include winter driving and the use of self-driving highway trucks.

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