Uber, Fiat Discuss a Self-Driving Car Partnership
Fiat Chrysler is one of several auto makers with whom Uber has held talks recently
Dieter Zetsche, chairman of Daimler AG, left, and Travis Kalanick, chief of Uber Technologies Inc., waited to speak Wednesday at the Noah tech conference in Berlin.PHOTO: BLOOMBERG NEWS
Uber Technologies Inc. has held talks with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV about a potential partnership involving self-driving car technology, people familiar with the matter said.
The discussions are at a preliminary stage and may not result in a partnership, the people cautioned. Fiat Chrysler is one of several auto makers with whom Uber has held such talks in recent weeks, one of the people said.
The growing role of technology in transportation is fueling a frenzy of global alliances between the world’s largest auto makers and the biggest tech companies.
Uber is seeking new partners after some of its largest rivals forged their own alliances, including Apple Inc.’s $1 billion investment in Chinese ride-hailing startup Didi Chuxing last month and General Motors Co.’s $500 million backing of Lyft Inc. earlier this year.
Fiat Chrysler, viewed as a laggard in rapidly advancing driverless technology, is in talks with several tech companies to bolster those efforts. The car maker has also held early discussions withAmazon.com Inc. about using Fiat’s cars for self-driving deliveries of packages, one of the people said.
Bloomberg earlier reported on Fiat’s discussions with Uber and Amazon.
Last month, Fiat Chrysler said it was working with Alphabet Inc.’s Google to redesign the 2017 Pacifica Hybrid minivan to integrate Alphabet’s computers, sensors and software. The minivans, like Alphabet’s other self-driving cars, will be solely for testing.
Fiat Chrysler Chief Sergio Marchionne said last month that he was willing to work with Silicon Valley’s high-tech companies to develop new car technologies. The approach is different from those of several competitors that have shunned tech giants to remain in control of what goes into their vehicles.
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A partnership with Uber could further bolster the image of the third-largest U.S.-based auto maker. General Motors Co. and Ford MotorCo. have both spent hundreds of millions investing in ride-sharing and other mobility strategies.
Uber began work on its own autonomous driving technology last year when it poached several top robotics researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and opened its Uber Advanced Technologies Center in Pittsburgh. It is has begun testing self-driving cars in that city and plans to incorporate autonomous vehicles into its fleet by 2020.
Last month, Uber said it partnered with Toyota Motor Corp. to help make more cars available to its drivers through a new leasing program operated by Toyota’s lending unit. Uber and Toyota have no plans to work together on self-driving car technology, a person familiar with the partnership said.
On Wednesday, Uber Chief Executive Travis Kalanick appeared on stage alongside Dieter Zetsche, chairman of Daimler AG, at a business conference in Berlin. Among other topics, the pair discussed how self-driving car technology could help improve road safety.
