Meet Waymo’s Self-Driving Chrysler Pacifica Minivans

John Krafcik, the CEO behind the newly launched Google company Waymo, revealed a look inside the self-driving Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan.

In a Medium blog post, Krafcik gave an inside look into the Waymo’s self-driving Chrysler Pacifica minivan. Krafcik explained his decision to use a minivan instead of a sports car or SUV arguing that Hybrid minivans allow for people of all ages to experience self-driving technology.

What’s next for the Waymo Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan?

Chrysler Pacifica Waymo
John Krafcik, the CEO behind the newly launched Google company Waymo, announced a first look into the self-driving Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan. (Image Courtesy of Waymo.com)

Krafcik shared information behind the designing and engineering process. Waymo and Chrysler have been working to design and create a fully self-driving Chrysler Pacifica for the past six months. In addition, Waymo ran tests including a reported 200 hours of extreme-weather testing to measure the safety and capabilities of the newly innovated Chrysler Pacifica.

Krafcik also explained that the new Chrysler minivan will feature “self-driving technology, including our suite of updated sensors, all-new computer and other major system updates.”

Waymo’s CEO also shared that Waymo plans on releasing the new Chrysler Pacifica on public roads in 2017.

The new Silicon Valley push for artificial intelligent technology

Chrysler Pacifica Waymo
John Krafcik, the CEO behind the newly launched Google company Waymo, announced a first look into the self-driving Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan. (Image Courtesy of Waymo.com)

Just last week, Google announced the spin off self driving car company, Waymo. The move is seen as a signal that Google has developed the technology to take self driving cars to market. Also, there same day Google announced Waymo, Uber also announced the company the launch of self-driving car transportation in San Francisco, California.

Google’s move to self-driving cars further illustrates how Silicon Valley’s tech titans are pushing for more artificial intelligence.

Waymo’s self-driving car technology could change the trucking industry

Waymo’s announcement of 100 Chrysler Pacifica minivans equipped with self-driving car technology is just the start for the newly founded Google company. Last week, Krafcik explained that the company plans to expand with additional self-driving cars including trucks, ridesharing services and personal automobiles.

But, the rise of the self-driving cars could cause a paradigm shift in the trucking industry by filling a rising demand for more professional truck drivers.

In 2015, the American Trucking Associations (ATA) conducted a study and found a shortage of professional truck drivers in the trucking industry. In order to increase the supply of qualified truck drivers, companies have offered to pay truck more. In fact, a November 2016 Glassdoor report found truck drivers have received the largest pay raise of about 7.8% per year.

However, with Google’s Waymo already in the process of delivering self driving cars to market, self-driving technology could lead to the biggest technological disruption since the invention of the car. And Waymo’s Chrysler Pacifica is just the start.