Fiat Chrysler CEO Seeks to Strengthen Ties With Google

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles FCAU 0.92 % NV Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne said Friday he is open to deepening a new partnership with Alphabet Inc. GOOGL 1.46 % 's Google autonomous-car team, but said it is unclear if the Silicon Valley tech giant is willing to forge stronger ties. Mr. Marchionne, speaking at factory in Canada, said Fiat Chrysler is seeking collaborations with tech companies instead of independently funding significant bets on projects that might not pan out. "We are exploring with people who are willing to explore with us," he said, referring to deepening ties to the point of codeveloping new, autonomous vehicles from the wheels up. The company has said in the past it wants to partner with many auto makers. Fiat Chrysler earlier this week said it would supply dozens of Chrysler Pacifica minivans to Google, and the two companies will collaborate on integrating self-driving technology so the vehicles can be tested on public roads.