Fiat Chrysler is piloting a project in its historic Italian home of Turin to allow its hybrid plug-in cars to automatically switch to electric-only mode when entering congested city centres.

The project, which aims to maximise the environmental benefits of hybrid cars, comes as Fiat Chrysler (FCA) rolls out its first alternative-engine models, trying to make up ground on rivals which already offer a range of full electric and hybrid vehicles in Europe.

The project, named ‘Turin Geofencing Lab’ and involving the city authorities and public transport agency GTT, is based on a prototype system with fully integrated on-board sensors allowing a car to recognise when it is entering a restricted traffic zone, FCA said on Wednesday.

The sensors will then automatically turn off the combustion engine and switch to electric mode.
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