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Ram is working on an electric version of its popular pickup truck
Fiat Chrysler's CEO confirmed a Ram EV or hybrid is in the works.
Jeep preps plug-in hybrid versions of its Compass and Renegade SUVs
Jeep isn't exactly synonymous with eco-friendly cars, but it's bent on changing that reputation. The 4x4 maker has unveiled plug-in hybrid versions of the 2020 Compass (below) and Renegade (above) crossover SUVs. Both meld a 1.3-liter conventional turbo engine with an electric motor to deliver both more power and, of course, a lower environmental footprint. They can pump out up to 240HP when both powerplants are engaged, hitting 62MPH in about 7 seconds, but they can also drive for up to 31 miles solely on electric power. You could commute emissions-free in the city while still having plenty of range and raw grunt for your off-road excursions.
Fiat Chrysler settles with US over diesel emissions cheating
Fiat Chrysler is about to pay a stiff penalty for its alleged diesel vehicle emissions cheating. The automaker has reached a settlement with the Justice Department, EPA and California that will see it make amends for claimed violations of the country's Clean Air Act. It's launching a recall to fix the more than 100,000 diesel vehicles believed to be exceeding pollution limits. More importantly, there's a hefty financial punishment. Fiat Chrysler will pay as much as $800 million to address the case, including a combined $311 million in civil penalties, up to $280 million to address claims from owners (who get an average of $2,800 each) and $100 million for post-fix extended warranties.
Fiat Chrysler will launch over 30 EVs and hybrids by 2022
Fiat Chrysler isn't exactly the first name that comes to mind when you think of electric cars. Where Ford, Volkswagen and other brands are basing their long-term roadmaps around EVs, Fiat Chrysler has been hesitant to make more than the occasional hybrid. Now, though, it's ready to make up for lost time... if only just. As part of a five-year plan, the company has announced that it will launch over 30 vehicles with some kind of electrification by 2022, whether it's a full EV, a plug-in hybrid or a conventional hybrid. To that end, it's investing €9 billion ($10.5 billion) into the development of these greener machines.
Senators investigate safety procedures for autonomous cars
Just a day after the NTSB released its preliminary findings on the Uber crash in Arizona, senators Edward J. Markey and Richard Blumenthal began an investigation into safety protocols for driverless car testing. In a letter sent to major auto manufacturers involved in autonomous driving systems, the senators asked several specific questions to find out what kind of procedures the companies have to ensure the safety of others during testing.
Fiat Chrysler reportedly phasing out diesel passenger cars by 2022
Fiat Chrysler's diesel plans are back in the spotlight again. The Italian-American car maker was hit with several lawsuits last December, each claiming that the company's heavy-duty pickup trucks used devices aimed at cheating emissions tests. Last month, the EPA said that Chrysler had violated the Clean Air Act, alleging that the company had installed software in some diesel vehicles that increased emissions. Now Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is apparently ditching diesel as a fuel source in its passenger cars by 2022, according to a report in the Financial Times.
SiriusXM adds streaming-style features to its in-car radio service
In-car listening has come a long way in the past decade. Where satellite radio used to be one of the few ways to get live digital shows in your car, it's now trivially easy to bring your phone into the car and stream virtually anything. And SiriusXM knows it -- the company has launched a new platform, 360L, that brings some of the creature comforts of internet streaming to in-car satellite radio. To begin with, there's simply more to listen to -- you can listen to on-demand shows, not to mention channels that were previously online-only.
Waymo starts testing self-driving minivans in San Francisco
Waymo's self-driving minivans are now ready for the road. The company has confirmed to TechCrunch that it's testing its autonomous Chrysler Pacifica vehicles on San Francisco streets, where the "hilly and foggy" environment should give them "even more practice." Suffice it to say the densely packed city could provide a greater challenge than Chandler, Arizona, whose spacious suburban landscape is well-suited to driverless car experiments.
Class-action suit alleges GM cheated emissions test
Yet another automaker has potentially been caught trying to cheat on its EPA emissions tests. Following VW's "diesel-gate" SNAFU in 2015 and the Justice Department going after Fiat-Chrysler just last week, GM on Thursday found itself the defendant in a class-action suit over its alleged use of "defeat devices" similar to those used by VW.
US sues Fiat Chrysler over diesel emissions cheating
Volkswagen definitely won't be the only major automaker hauled into court for cheating on diesel emissions tests in recent years. In the wake of EPA accusations from January, the US Department of Justice has sued Fiat Chrysler for allegedly using a combination of defeat devices and software to trick regulators into thinking its 3.0-liter EcoDiesel engines are... well, eco-friendly. Reportedly, 2014-2016 model year Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles (104,000 in total) violated the Clean Air Act by meeting emissions rules in EPA testing, but spewing "much higher" nitrogen oxide levels in certain everyday driving situations.
Fiat Chrysler software error leads to a massive truck recall
Fiat Chrysler is currently in the midst of notifying over a million people that they need to turn in the trucks they bought from the company due to a potentially dangerous software error. The automaker has announced a massive recall affecting 1.02 million 2013 to 2016 Ram 1500 and 2500, as well as 2014 to 2016 Ram 3500 pickups in the US. Chrysler's problem goes beyond the US: it's also recalling 216,007 vehicles in Canada, 21,668 in Mexico and 21,530 outside North America altogether. In the notification published on its website, the company admitted that it's "aware of one fatality, two injuries and two accidents that may be related" to its software troubles.
Car makers ask Trump to revisit fuel efficiency rules
Car companies operating in the US are required to meet stringent fuel efficiency standards (a fleet average of 54.5MPG) through 2025, but they're hoping to loosen things now that President Trump is in town. Leaders from Fiat Chrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota and VW have sent a letter to Trump asking him to rethink the Obama administration's choice to lock in efficiency guidelines for the next several years. The car makers want to revisit the midterm review for the 2025 commitment in hopes of loosening the demands. They claim that the tougher requirements raise costs, don't match public buying habits and will supposedly put "as many a million" jobs up in the air.
Dodge repurposes its parking tech to safeguard police
Fiat Chrysler has cleverly re-purposed some not-state-of-the-art tech on its police cars to protect officers. The radar and cameras at the rear of its Charger Pursuit vehicles can now detect movement behind the car when it's parked, alerting officers with a chime, locking the doors, rolling up the windows and flashing the taillights. It also activates the vehicle's rear camera, letting cops know what's going on at their "six."
Chrysler pulls a VW, cheats emissions tests
The Environmental Protection Agency has just notified Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) that the carmaker has violated the Clean Air Act, alleging that it installed software in some of its diesel vehicles that increased emissions beyond what the company claimed. Specifically, the EPA says that "light-duty model year 2014, 2015 and 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Ram 1500 trucks with 3.0 liter diesel engines sold in the United States" are releasing excess nitrogen oxide emissions.
Google and Fiat Chrysler work together on Android car tech
The team-up between Google and Fiat Chrysler is about to extend well beyond self-driving minivans. The two companies have revealed an 8.4-inch Uconnect concept system based on Android. No, not Android Auto -- we're talking full-fledged Android Nougat. While it still uses the familiar Uconnect interface (for better or for worse), the Android underpinnings give it "seamless integration" with core Google services like Assistant and Maps. It should play nicely with third-party Android apps, too, including NPR One, Pocket Casts and Spotify.
Google shows off its sleeker self-driving Chrysler minivans
Waymo, Google's new autonomous vehicle division, has finally unveiled its latest model: a heavily modified Chrysler Pacifica. The hybrid minivan, which can go 30 miles in pure electric mode, was glimpsed earlier in spy photos at a Google facility. It's now fixed up with the custom computer, sensors and telematics used on Google's Lexus SUV and other self-driving cars. Waymo didn't just bolt the tech on, though. Rather, its engineering team worked together with Fiat Chrysler (FCA) at a special facility in southeastern Michigan.
Amazon will let Italians buy Fiat cars with a click
Amazon has made it easier to research cars online, but actually purchasing a car? That's another story. Even a recent deal with Seat in France limited customers to making a downpayment on the web -- they still had to agree to a phone interview to clinch the sale. However, the dream of one-click vehicle shopping just came a bit closer to reality. Amazon is partnering with Fiat to let Italian motorists buy the 500, 500L and Panda on the web at discounts up to 33 percent greater than seen at retail. They'll still have to visit a dealership to complete the purchase, but this is about as direct as it gets if you're not ordering a Tesla.
Jeep hackers return to take over your steering wheel
Last year, security researchers Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek made headlines by remotely hacking a Jeep, killing the transmission and applying the brakes while Wired reporter Andy Greenberg was behind the wheel and driving in traffic. The hack led to a 1.4 million-vehicle recall for Fiat Chrysler and new jobs at Uber's Advanced Technology Center for Miller and Valasek. Despite the cushy new gigs, the two of them apparently aren't done hacking Jeep Cherokees for sport. In their latest exploit, the pair can gain even more control over a vehicle, but it would also be extremely difficult to pull off in a real-world setting.
Google's self-driving car project sets up shop in Michigan
The Google Self-Driving Car Project, as it is accurately named, announced via Google+ yesterday that it is building out a 53,000 square-foot technology development center in Novi, Michigan where it will "further develop and refine self-driving technology."
Google and Fiat Chrysler aren't sure who owns self-driving car data
Google and Fiat Chrysler left a lot of questions unanswered when they unveiled their self-driving car partnership... and that's because they haven't answered some of those questions themselves, apparently. Fiat Chrysler chief Sergio Marchionne told guests at an event that the two companies have yet to decide who will own the data from the fleet of 100 autonomous Pacifica minivans. The vehicles need to be "viable" first, he says. He adds that the firms have yet to decide whether or not they'll offer open source code that would help others build self-driving technology.
