AppleInsider StaffA new video obtained by AppleInsider on Monday reveals more detail on Apple's camera-equipped minivans, with views of the interior showing at least two people man the vehicles during testing operations.
In the short video seen above, sent in by AppleInsider reader Peter, a white Dodge Caravan driving through Coral Springs, Fla., sports the same peculiar roof-mounted equipment array seen on other vehicles linked to an internal Apple program.
Today's video is one of the first to show the van's interior while in operation, where at least one passenger can be seen interacting with a small handheld device thought to be an iPad mini. The footage fails to show the tablet's screen, but it can be assumed that the device connects with onboard testing or surveying equipment as a data reader or command and control module. As seen in the video, the driver quickly hides the device from view when alerted to the camera's presence.
Automobile manufacturers take a similar approach when road testing new vehicles. A two-man team usually takes a long cross-country route to test various predefined data points, including gas mileage, unforeseen manufacturing issues and overall performance. Both a driver and passenger are usually required for testing.
As for the Apple vans, early speculation claimed the company was working on an autonomous self-driving car in the vein of cutting-edge products from Tesla and experimental cars from Google. Considering that the mysterious vans have been spotted across the U.S., importantly in states that would require special permits for self-driving vehicles, Apple's project is more likely aimed an advanced mapping initiative.
The first vans were first spotted last week in the San Francisco Bay Area, with follow-up sightings in Hawaii, Wisconsin and Panama.
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52 Comments
They're just out testing iOS 9 on the new iPhone 6s: bolted to a mininvan so no jackass employee loses the $^*(*&%% thing in another bar!
Just Drove by one about an hour and a half ago driving through Stanford Shopping Center. Not such an uncommon occurence around here anymore. I seen the van several times now.
Have you seen one, mstone? Sounds as though they've been in your neck of the woods.
Those vans don't appear to have the same kind of cameras and laser equipment that are used for mapping. Google and NavTeq have vans with big antennas and spinning lasers on top. Also there's not much in common for the places where the vans of been seen -- Wisconsin, Northern California, Hawaii, Florida, Panama ... I wonder if they are testing the reception of some kind of communication radio to replace cell phone radios.
Somebody want to tell me how they know this is Apple? I saw no markings, no signs, no logo. Who says this is Apple?