BMW Group, Intel and Mobileye have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), allowing the latter to join the alliance to develop an advanced autonomous driving platform for global deployment.

The participating companies intend to leverage each other’s individual strengths, capabilities and resources to improve the self-driving technology platform, boost development efficiency levels, and reduce time to market.

As per the terms of the agreement, FCA will provide engineering expertise and other technical resources to the cooperation.

Its significant sales volumes, geographic reach and long-time experience in North America are additional benefits to the cooperation.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles chief executive officer Sergio Marchionne said: “In order to advance autonomous driving technology, it is vital to form partnerships among automakers, technology providers and suppliers.

“Joining this cooperation will enable FCA to directly benefit from the synergies and economies of scale that are possible when companies come together with a common vision and objective.”

Last year in July, BMW Group, Intel, and Mobileye formed an alliance to make self-driving vehicles a reality by collaborating to bring solutions for highly automated driving (Level 3) and fully automated driving (Level 4/5) into production by 2021.

Since then, the alliance has been designing and developing a scalable architecture that can be used by several automakers worldwide, while at the same time maintaining each automaker’s unique brand identities.

"Joining this cooperation will enable FCA to directly benefit from the synergies and economies of scale that are possible when companies come together with a common vision and objective."

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich said: “The future of transportation relies on auto and tech industry leaders working together to develop a scalable architecture that automakers around the globe can adopt and customise.

 “We’re thrilled to welcome FCA’s contribution, bringing us a step closer to delivering the world’s safest autonomous vehicles.”

The alliance is on-track to deploy 40 autonomous test vehicles on the road by the end of this year.

It intends to use the data from the tests of Mobileye’s Level 4 vehicles, which is scheduled to take place later this year.

Image: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to join BMW Group, Intel and Mobileye in developing autonomous driving platform. Photo: courtesy of BMW Group.