VW attempted to partner with companies such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz, before finally coming up with VW.
The Apple car has been in development for years and is now reportedly ready to hit the roads. It won’t look like the futuristic model from the countless renderings and the tech giant will not sell the vehicle to public. According to multiple anonymous sources, the company will instead partner with Volkswagen to develop an autonomous version of the Volkswagen Transporter Van.
Although neither apple nor VW have confirmed this rumor, insiders believe that they partnered up in late 2017. Italdesign is a part the VW Group and has the responsibility of helping to transform Transporter. The task includes a complete overhaul of the cabin, including the replacement of the dashboard and seats. The van will also need to be able to carry all the self-driving sensors, computers and other equipment. The models could also be converted to electric power instead of being powered by the publically available combustion engines.
These vans will be used by Apple to transport employees between Silicon Valley campuses. According to The New York Times, although the vans are technically autonomous, there will still be someone in the driver’s chair to assist with steering if needed and someone in the passenger seat to monitor the sensors.
The New York Times reports that the completion of these autonomous Transporters is behind schedule despite taking up almost all of the Apple car team’s attention. Although the goal is to have the first one completed by the end of this year, it is not possible.
This story reveals that VW was not Apple’s first, second or third choice for an automotive partner. BMW was initially the target but the tech giant moved to Mercedes-Benz and Nissan, BYDAuto, McLaren, and BYD Auto after the deal fell apart. Finding a partner was the biggest hurdle to finding one.