FCA joins BMW Intel & Mobileye to develop autonomous cars

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with BMW, Intel Corporation and Mobileye, an Intel company to jointly develop an autonomous driving platform. The companies have also invited other automakers and technology suppliers to join them in developing this autonomous platform.

BMW, Intel and Mobileye came together in July 2016 to collaborate and provide solutions so that highly automated driving (level 3) and fully automated driving (level 4/5) can be brought into production by 2021. The plan is to develop a scalable platform that could be used by multiple automakers without having to sacrifice their individual brand identities. FCA is the first automaker to join the trio. 

The parties involved hope that the collaboration will help enhance the platform's technology, increase development efficiency and reduce time to market. FCA's geographic reach and experience of the North American market will prove beneficial. FCA will also add its engineering and technical resources into building this new platform. 

The companies in the collaboration aim to have 40 autonomous test vehicles on the road by the end of this year.