Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and Waymo have announced a long‑term strategic partnership, with the two companies working together to develop the world’s first premium self‑driving electric vehicle for Waymo’s driverless on-demand transportation service.
UK-based automaker JLR and Waymo (formerly Google self-driving car project) will work together to design and engineer self-driving Jaguar I‑PACE vehicles. The long-term strategic collaboration will further both companies’ shared goals: to make cars safer, free up people’s valuable time, and improve mobility for everyone. Jaguar I‑PACE’s, equipped with Waymo’s production-ready self-driving technology, will start testing later this year. On‑road testing and capturing real-world data will allow Waymo and JLR engineers to refine technology and deliver optimum safety and reliability. Up to 20,000 I‑PACE’s will be built in the first two years of production and be available for riders of Waymo’s driverless service, serving a potential one million trips per day.
The Jaguar I‑PACE was launched in June and is the company’s first full-electric SUV. It is all-new from the ground up and has been designed as a no compromise, desirable and practical electric performance car, with JLR demonstrating its commitment to investing heavily in future autonomous, connected and electrified technologies. To date, Waymo is the only company with a fleet of fully self-driving cars, with no one in the front seat, on public roads. Later this year the company will launch the world’s first self-driving transportation service allowing members of the public to use Waymo’s app to request a vehicle.
“With the Jaguar I‑PACE we have a world-beating car that’s captured the imagination of customers around the world. Our passion for further advancing smart mobility needs expert long-term partners,” said Professor Ralf Speth, JLR’s CEO.” In joining forces with Waymo we are pioneering to push the boundaries of technology. Together we will deliver the self-driving Waymo Jaguar I‑PACE with the grace, space and eco-pace that customers expect.”
John Krafcik, Waymo’s CEO, commented, “While we’ve been focused on building the world’s most experienced driver, the team at Jaguar Land Rover has developed an all-new battery-electric platform that looks to set a new standard in safety, design and capability. We’re sure Waymo riders will enjoy the safe, premium and delightful experience that the self-driving I‑PACE will provide.”
