The SUV pioneer that is now owned by Volkswagen plans on revealing its first battery-powered vehicle on October 24th, according to a banner on the company’s site. No specifics yet, but we’re likely to get a truck and/or an SUV, something designed for off-roading, while also being perfectly at home in a Target parking lot. Expect lots of “chunky” buttons.
That stands for “Actually Smart Summon,” which is the new name for the automaker’s automated parking lot feature that kind of got lost in the shuffle. You press down on the button in the app, and the car will theoretically come to where you are in the parking lot. (The only videos I could find on YouTube so far take place at night in empty parking lots, which says a lot.) Hilariously, Tesla owners still assume full liability if their empty car runs over someone while being summoned. So summon at your own risk.
The driver-side door keypad was once standard on America’s best-selling vehicle. No longer, reports The Drive, as it will now become a $455 dealer option. I suppose the silver lining is that Ford isn’t trying to turn it into a subscription.
The Drive also points us to this excellent essay about the difference between “tiered permissions and variable access” which is totally worth a read in light of this news.
The state’s DMV is inviting proposals for how best to regulate heavy-duty autonomous vehicles, which have so far been prohibited on California’s public highways. Meanwhile, the California state legislature advanced a bill to require a human operator in robot trucks at all times. Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a similar proposal last year, but hasn’t said whether he would do it again.
After trying to make BrightDrop work as a standalone brand, GM has decided it will have a happier home among the Silverados and Camaros at Chevy. GM reabsorbed BrightDrop last year, citing “effeciencies,” and now its assigning it to Chevy in order to tap into the brand’s “broad commercial vehicle sales and service dealer network.” Chevy dealers will be able to sell BrightDrop’s 400 and 600 electric vans, as well as the fleet management software and other products.
[pressroom.gm.com]
