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Volkswagen ID.7 to premiere with smart camouflage at CES 2023: Specs & Features
The Volkswagen ID.7 will premiere at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2023) in Las Vegas on January 5, 2023.
VW set up an exhibit for the ID.7 featuring its smart camouflage paintwork to showcase the premium sedan’s specs and features. Volkswagen’s ID.7 exhibit will be up until January 8, 2023.
“With the new ID.7, we are extending our electric model range into the upper segments. The sedan will offer top-class technology and quality. The ID.7 is one of ten new electric models that we are planning to launch by 2026. Our goal? To deliver suitable products for our customers in every single segment,” said Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars.
The VW ID. 7’s Smart Camouflage
Volkswagen tapped its creative and playful side while designing the ID. 7’s smart camouflage. The German automaker applied 40 layers of paint to create the design. Some layers of paint are conductive, while others contain insulating properties.
VW added a layer of fun between the paint, too. A layer beneath the top coating of paint electrifies the ID. 7’s digital design, so it lights up interactively in 22 areas around the sedan’s exterior surface. Each of the areas that light up can be controlled separately.
Volkswagen hints that the lights can be connected to a sound system to create a rhythmic light show that plays throughout the ID. 7’s exterior. The all-electric sedan has a QR code on both sides of the hood, “providing an interface between the physical and digital world.”
ID.7 Specs and Features
Volkswagen listened to customer feedback while designing the ID.7. As such, the German automaker is making the following technology standard in the ID.7:
- a new display concept
- an augmented reality head-up display
- a 15-inch screen
- new air conditioning controls integrated into the first level of the infotainment system
- illuminated touch sliders
VW’s new air conditioning concept features Smart Air Vents with many functions accessible through the ID. 7’s large display unit. Different ID.7 users can save their air conditioning presets and activate them when using the vehicle.
Users may also set voice commands for special air conditioning requests. For example, a user may set a voice command to start the steering wheel heating function with the phrase: “Hey Volkswagen, my hands are cold!” Users can also use voice commands to direct airflow in the car.
Similar to other cars in VW’s ID.Family lineup, the ID.7 is built on the MEB (modular electric drive matrix) platform. The ID.7 appears to be the North American version of the ID.AERO concept, which debuted in China last year.
Volkswagen stated that the ID.7 has a “very good” drag coefficient. For perspective, the ID. AERO’s drag coefficient is 0.23. The new electric sedan concept VW debuted in China will be equipped with a 77kWh lithium-ion battery resulting in a range of up to 620 km (WLTP) or 385 miles. The ID.7 is expected to have a range of up to 700 km (WLTP) or 435 miles.
The ID.7 will be released in the luxury sedan market in three primary markets: China, Europe, and North America.
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News
Tesla’s NHTSA probe is already on its way to being resolved
The problem the NHTSA had with Tesla’s reporting is already on its way to being resolved, as the agency and the company have been in communication.

Tesla is being probed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for not reporting accidents in a timely manner, the agency said on Thursday.
It is already well on its way to being resolved, the agency said.
The agency’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) identified numerous instances in which Tesla reported crashes that “occurred several months or more before the dates of the reports.”
The Standing General Order in place by the agency requires crash reports to be submitted within five days of Tesla receiving the notice of an accident.
The investigation states Tesla submitted crashes in one of two ways:
“Many of the reports were submitted as part of a single batch, while others were submitted on a rolling basis.”
The problem the NHTSA had with Tesla’s reporting is already on its way to being resolved, as the agency and the company have been in communication.
Tesla has already been in contact with the agency’s ODI and stated that the timing of the reports was an issue with its data collection. The issue has been resolved, Tesla told them.
The NHTSA said the initiation of the probe against Tesla is a “standard process for reviewing compliance with legal requirements, to evaluate the cause of potential delays in reporting, the scope of any such delays, and the mitigations that Tesla has developed to address them.”
It is the latest NHTSA probe into Tesla, as it has also been investigating the company for accidents during Full Self-Driving operation in reduced visibility conditions.
The agency also sought information on the rollout of Robotaxi a few months ago, and how Tesla planned to handle low-visibility conditions in its driverless ride-hailing service.
The NHTSA was interested in knowing how Tesla planned to assess the ability of FSD’s engineering controls, whether any other similar FSD crashes had occurred in low visibility, and if modifications to FSD software would impact its performance in these conditions.
News
Tesla rolls out minor but significant improvement to Robotaxi service
As per Tesla, Robotaxis will now arrive at their pickup locations with their doors locked.

Tesla has rolled out a minor but significant improvement to its Robotaxi service. The update was shared by the Tesla community on social media platforms such as X.
New Robotaxi App update
As observed by the electric vehicle community on social media, Tesla has started rolling out the Robotaxi App’s Version 25.8.5 (6074) to users. The update seems to be quite minor, though Tesla mentioned something quite notable the update’s “What to Test” section.
As per Tesla, Robotaxis will now arrive at their pickup locations with their doors locked. Customers would not need to unlock the Robotaxis manually, however, as the vehicles would automatically unlock as they approach the car. “You ride now arrives locked and will automatically unlock as you walk up. Just ensure your app has Bluetooth access enabled,” Tesla wrote.
While this update is minor, it does improve the safety of the vehicles themselves. It also provides another layer of convenience for users of the driverless ride-hailing service. The fact that Tesla is already refining the Robotaxi App’s features this early bodes well for the program. It suggests, if any, that the service will already be fairly refined when it starts being opened to more users.
Robotaxi praised for its safety
Tesla is following a deliberate and cautious rollout strategy for its Robotaxi rollout, though early reviews of the system have been quite positive. Some reviewers have also dubbed Tesla’s Robotaxi service as a safer alternative to more conventional ride-hailing services such as Uber.
This was highlighted by auto reviewer Scotty Reiss in a post on A Girl’s Guide to Cars.
“I like the personal safety factor. No driver to threaten or harass you. You control the locking and unlocking of the car. You can change the pickup location at any time. The car will wait for you. You can call the support desk if you need help. You can change your destination if the drop-off area seems sketchy. All of it together makes me feel safer getting a car home from the airport at midnight or into the city after dark, and I definitely feel safer having my daughters take a self-driving rideshare when they go out to meet friends for dinner,” Reiss wrote in her post.
News
Tesla China VP confirms Model Y L first deliveries in September
The first deliveries of the extended wheelbase all-electric family car are expected to start in just a few weeks.

Tesla China Vice President Grace Tao has subtly confirmed the recently released Model Y L’s first deliveries. As per the executive, the first deliveries of the extended wheelbase all-electric family car are expected to start in just a few weeks.
Model Y L estimated delivery date
While the standard Tesla Model Y Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) and All Wheel Drive (AWD) are listed with an estimated delivery date of 1-3 weeks, the electric vehicle maker simply listed the Model Y L with an estimated delivery date of “September 2025.” This date was reiterated by VP Grace Tao in a post on Weibo.
“Prospective Model Y L owners are welcome to post their orders in the comment section. This Sunday, August 24th, at midnight, 10 friends will be drawn to receive Tesla peripherals… Tesla cars are fun to drive alone, whether you have children or how many children, this car can meet all your needs. We will deliver in September and wait for you to get in the car,” Tao wrote.
Model Y delivery speculations
While Grace Tao’s Weibo post confirmed that the Model Y L’s first customer deliveries will indeed be held within September, some industry watchers have estimated that the extended wheelbase vehicle will start deliveries in about three weeks. This suggests that the first Model Y L customer deliveries could start around September 11 in China. This date would be quite impressive considering that the vehicle was released just a few days ago.
The Tesla Model Y has so far been a hit among followers of the company, so much so that fans in countries like the United States have expressed their intention to purchase the vehicle, which starts at just RMB 339,000 ($47,180). Unfortunately, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has stated that the Model Y L will not start production in the United States until the end of 2026. He also noted that the vehicle might not ever make it to the U.S., due to the advent of self-driving cars in the country.
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