VW to supply self-driving T6 vans to Apple

[240Gordy]

For employee shuttles

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/05/23/apple-volkswagen-deal-autonomous-shuttles/
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Tencentlife said,
"So, now that you know what you're doing, go to town."
2010 GOLF TRENDLINE 2.5
1985 GL now with more! a 2.1L
H&R SPORT(RED) Springs FRONT , SLAM SPECIALTIES RE6 AIRBAGS REAR

[E1]

Kinda wondering what use we'll be soon.

Hope no errors intervene in posting this on my iPhone.
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‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman

[otiswesty]

So then the T6 will make it onto the NHTSA list, I am thinking
Maybe one of these is in the future as road legal in USA

_________________
1978 Sage Green P22 Westfalia
1989 T3 Syncro Single cab

Just a regular guy

[MsTaboo]

Bah!
_________________
Currently:
'90 Syncro Westy 3 knob w/Zetec

The information age has morphed into the age of disinformation and willful ignorance. Agnotology!
Help the fight against Truth Decay.
Defend democracy, support Ukraine.

[78busboy]

Brill. (To heck with BMW and Mercedes; it's about the mass market.)

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

Me thinks they're going to beta test this till the cows come home, then work it into the ID platform. And then into Audi. Perhaps even into Porsche.

Fasten your seat belts. There be market disruptions ahead. Car sharing options. Memberships. Pay per trip. Full ownership. What else?

Put this kicking & screaming old-skool VW bus guy down for an AWD ID Buzz with a 350-mile range. California Apple Edition. And I'll want my own. Red, please.

(But do change that silly ID Buzz name.)

Past:
'60 P 356B S90 - red
'74 Ghia Vert - yellow
'75 Westy - orange
'79 Westy - dakota beige
'84 Westy - assuan brown
'87 Westy - titian red

Present:
'97 Previa LE S/C All-Trac - (The one that Doug Demuro reviewed)

[E1]

Hopefully the vans are hack-programmed to run over their inventor.
_________________
‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman

[Abscate]

This might mean since they will have to be crash tested and smogged, it MIGHT be easier to bring a T6 in from EU.

Its doesn't make it a slam dunk though, you need a MFG sticker or suitcases of cash - it just means the testing will have been done.
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.ssS!

[elizer]

[Abscate]

[elizer]

I have seen it mentioned but never seen an actual letter.

I will do more digging after the crash tests.

[ajdenette]

Where apple is planning on using them for shuttles on their campuses, if they own the property any only use the vehicles on their own roads the vehicles do not need to be registered for use on public roads and therefore do not need to meet DOT approval.
_________________
1985 2wd Westy with 2000 Subaru 2.2 current driver
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=685635
1986 Syncro Doka Project next in line
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=732777
1990 Vanagon Syncro Base awaiting body work

[Abscate]

I think they will be on public roads between campuses, but only Apple knows those plans For certain. There are only A couple of years of T3 on the NHTSA LIST and no T4s so it doesn’t look like the list will help.

I can’t find a single instance of a cert letter on Samba so while this is in the regs I don’t think this is viable. Knowing and working withGerman companies a lot, this does not surprise me.
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.ssS!

[78busboy]

From the NY Times article:

"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."


I think this project is to mine data for VW's ID platform. And I could be wrong, but I doubt any of this stuff would make it into future iterations of the T6.

Also, not sure if a couple dozen tricked out T6's driving between the original Apple Campus and the new Apple Park would make importing T6's any easier for us wee folk. It's minimal. We're talking 3 miles door to door.

-But if you're watching, VW, when you're done I'll gladly take one of those.

[Abscate]

The CBP site is clear. You need either a sticker of compliance on the vehicle or a manufacturer's letter.

There is not a single case here of anyone getting a letter from VW for this purpose. Im going to say thats because they won't give you one.

I import stuff on both the Department of Commerce and Department of State control list. If the manufacturer won't cooperate with compliance, you are sunk.
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.ssS!

[78busboy]

These would be corporate-owned test vehicles to be used for the limited purpose of advancing technologies of strategic, national interest. Temporarily imported, probably bonded against damage or accidents, and driven and monitored by specially trained drivers and experts.

After that they leave the country, or they get destroyed or mothballed.

Different set of norms for that.

[Abscate]