Volkswagen eT!

Volkswagen has announced the eT concept. Aiming to reinvent the delivery vehicle, the semi-autonomous eT! is a research vehicle developed in collaboration with Deutsche Post AG and the University of Art in Braunschweig.

The eT!'s main prerogative is to appease the main shortcomings of mail delivery logistics. Sporting a ‘Follow me' mode, the van is able to follow the delivery person from house to house, as well as a ‘Come to me' mode where the eT! Can return to the driver autonomously.

Inside, the eT! features a drive stick on the near side of the car, which allows the driver to quickly and safely move around the car without stepping into oncoming traffic. A two-stage opening sliding door also aids ingress and egress when handling mail parcels.

"The eT! research vehicle unifies a whole gamut of innovative functions, which will gain in future importance, specifically for logistics businesses", explains Dr. Wolfgang Schreiber, spokesperson for the Board of Management of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. "In particular, the possibility of driving the car semi-automatically – and electrically – in downtown areas unifies economical and environmental aspects more systematically than ever."

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