According to Bloomberg News on November 18, 2021, citing insiders from Apple, the company is planning to release its electric car as early as 2025, with a focus on developing full autonomous driving capabilities. Upon the announcement, Apple’s stock price immediately rose nearly 3%, reaching a market value of $2.6 trillion, reclaiming its global number one position.
According to a letter from Apple to the US Department of Transportation on December 5, 2016, Apple’s autonomous driving research and development project was confirmed. The letter was signed by Steve Kenner, former Global Director of Autonomous Vehicle Safety at Ford.
Apple’s car-making might focus on the development of autonomous driving software. At the WWDC conference on June 5, 2017, Cook said:
Despite being one of the most difficult artificial intelligence projects in history, Apple is still looking forward to the arrival of this new technology. In the future, we will focus on the development of autonomous driving technology.
As for hardware, Apple might choose a mode of cooperation with automakers for assembly. However, this option doesn’t seem to be progressing well. According to reports, Apple had previously visited Hyundai, Toyota, and LG Electronics. However, it couldn’t make substantial progress. In 2015, Cook sought to cooperate with BMW and Daimler, parent company of Mercedes-Benz, but failed.
Personnel movements in Apple’s autonomous driving car project have also added uncertainty to its car-making prospects.
On September 7, 2021, Doug Field, head of Apple’s car project, joined Ford as its Chief Technology Officer. Field had previously served as Vice President of Engineering at Tesla. After Field’s departure, Apple appointed Kevin Lynch, an Apple Watch executive, to take over the Apple car project, overseeing the work of automotive hardware engineering, autonomous driving sensors, and software technology.
However, Apple is also constantly recruiting talent in related fields.This June, Apple hired Ulrich Kranz, a former senior executive at BMW. Prior to that, Apple also poached Manfred Harrer, Porsche’s chassis development chief, as well as some executives from Tesla.
🔗Source: Bloomberg
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.