Apple ‘partnering’ with Volkswagen to create self-driving employee shuttles

Tech giant Apple and automaker company Volkswagen have reportedly joined hands to make self-driving vehicles together.

According to a report by New York Times, partnering with Volkswagen, Apple is planning to turn some of the German automaker’s passenger vans into self-driving vehicles. Apple will equip Volkswagen’s T6 Transporter van with its own self-driving technology and will use a fleet of them as employee shuttles in its Silicon Valley offices.

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Apple has previously also sought partnerships with other car makers including BMW and Mercedes-Benz, but that didn’t work out as both companies refused to let Apple have control over the design of the vehicle and the data it produces, according to The Verge.

Sources also informed New York Times that the latest deal with Volkswagen for building autonomous shuttles is ‘behind schedule and consuming nearly all of the Apple car team’s attention’.

However, it is not yet clear if Apple’s plans to build and sell its own autonomous vehicles in the future, or just have its software inside. Apple and Volkswagen weren’t immediately available to comment, reported Quartz.