Chrysler’s Future Possibly in Self-Driving, Ridesharing Vehicles

Fiat Chrysler really has not been doing much exciting work with the Chrysler brand in the past few years, and the shrinking lineup is proof the brand is on the way down. Despite this, one car in the lineup has received a new life in a completely different space. The Chrysler Pacifica is the ur-example of a minivan, and for whatever reason, it is very popular with autonomous driving companies. Combine this with the sheer amount of space the van provides, and the Pacifica also makes an attractive option for ridesharing companies looking to appeal to people on the move. It is worth noting that Chrysler did show off the Portal concept car at CES 2017, and it looked like a very high-tech minivan with automated driving...   Despite top billing in the name of parent Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the Chrysler brand’s future is uncertain. Chrysler only sells two cars in the United States, and plans for future models are hazy. But FCA may have a plan for Chrysler, and it may involve shifting the historic brand to focus on shared vehicles, reports Autocar. Chrysler didn’t warrant a mention in FCA’s new five-year plan, which primarily focused on Jeep, Ram, and the automaker’s Italian brands. But Waymo recently announced that it would buy up to 62,000 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans (it already has 600) for conversion into self-driving cars. This could be the future direction of the Chrysler brand. “The minivan business space will be filled by Chrysler, filling the mobility solution in the U.S. market,” FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne told Autocar. The magazine also reported that Chrysler is slated to get one new model, either a second minivan or an SUV. Click Here to Keep Reading

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