Apple And Volkswagen Will Make Self-Driving Shuttles For Apple Employees

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: New York Times, via Jalopnik

Apple And Volkswagen Will Make Self-Driving Shuttles For Apple Employees

Kristen Lee
51 minutes ago

Good morning! Welcome to The Morning Shift, your roundup of the auto news you crave, all in one place every weekday morning. Here are the important stories you need to know.

1st Gear: The Apple Car Finally Happens, Kinda

Man, remember the Apple Car? Remember how Apple debated doing a car for years, thinking it could be the next big thing, then put a bunch of resources into a program that blew up over internal disagreements over its direction?

I feel like we haven't heard about in over a decade, because our hellscape of a reality tends to accelerate time like that--even though it was barely two years ago. But even after abandoning the idea of making a car from scratch, the company didn't completely write off staying in the car software side of things. And now we've just learned that they're buddying up with Volkswagen for a driverless car deal.

Speaking with unnamed sources, the New York Times reported that Apple just signed a deal with Volkswagen to make some of the T6 transport vans into Apple's self-driving shuttles for its employees. A VW subsidiary called Italdesign, which is based in Turin, Italy, will "remake Volkswagen's T6 vans as electric self-driving shuttles." And:

The frame, wheels and chassis of the T6 vans will remain, but Apple is replacing many components, including the dashboard and seats, said two people familiar with the project. Apple is also adding other computers, sensors and a large electric car battery, they said. The shuttles will ferry employees between two of Apple's Silicon Valley campuses, and will include a driver behind the wheel to take control if needed, as well as an operator in the passenger's seat tracking the van's performance.

Read more: https://jalopnik.com/apple-and-volkswagen-will-make-self-driving-shuttles-fo-1826286839

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I can see only so many articles in the New York Times per month. Jalopnik's account is a little too chatty for LBN, but many DUers won't be able to see an article in the NYT. If you can, here's the link:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/23/technology/apple-bmw-mercedes-volkswagen-driverless-cars.html

[PoliticAverse]

1. Since it's a VW I'd check for a hidden driver. n/t

[jberryhill]

2. The first clue was that it needed to be fueled with gatorade and oatmeal

[Initech]

3. So they can spend that time they would normally drive on their iPhones! Brilliant!

[vi5]

4. This issue is exhibit A

...in terms of issues that will not affect normal, every day people who constitute 75% of the population, yet is being reported on breathlessly and constantly as though it's something everyone is clamoring for.

The only benefit this will have is for corporations like Uber who don't want to have to pay drivers. Or in this particular case companies like Apple who want their employees to have more time working and not driving.

Or companies who won't have to pay drivers for shipping and delivery.

The majority of people will not be able to afford a self driving car, will not see any of the stock dividends or increases based on cutting jobs and will receive no benefit at all from this.

[brooklynite]

6. ...except that it reflects major corporate investment in autonomous vehicles

...which WILL, in time, have an impact on that 75%.

[PoliticAverse]

7. The technology for self-driving cars eventually won't add significant costs to cars...

and people eventually likely will save on insurance rates if they have one.

[vi5]

8. "eventually"

Yes, eventually a lot of things will happen. My point is the degree to which this technology is being reported on, versus the degree to which it will impact the average citizen's lives is considerably out of reasonable proportion.

[PoliticAverse]

9. Yes there's a lot of hype in technology, but then I am still waiting for my flying car. n/t

[vi5]

10. You and me both (n/t)

[Tommy_Carcetti]

5. My eyes just rolled a complete 360 just reading that headline. nt