Apple hiring automotive experts to work in secret research lab

[Hamartia Antidote]

Apple hiring automotive experts to work in secret research lab

Apple is recruiting experts in automotive technology and vehicle design to work at a new top-secret research lab, according to several people familiar with the company, pointing to ambitions that go beyond the dashboard.

Dozens of Apple employees, led by experienced managers from its iPhone unit, are researching automotive products at a confidential Silicon Valley location outside the company's Cupertino campus, the people said.

Sir Jonathan Ive's team of Apple designers has held regular meetings with automotive executives and creators in recent months, in some cases trying to hire them. Recent recruits to Apple's team include the head of Mercedes-Benz's Silicon Valley R&D unit.

The Apple research lab was set up late last year, not long after Apple unveiled its forthcoming smart watch and latest iPhones, which suggests that any resulting product may still be years away from release. Apple often investigates a wide range of new product areas, some of which never get released.

Bolstered by the resurgent success of its iPhones, the company's ambition under chief executive Tim Cook is growing.

Its closest rival, Google, has spent years developing an autonomous vehicle and carmakers from Tesla Motors to century-old Detroit brands are vying for Silicon Valley talent. But many dismiss the idea of an Apple-made car as far-fetched, not least because it lacks its own manufacturing facility.

One senior industry figure said: "It's one thing to draw pictures but it's a quantum leap to manufacture things, and Apple doesn't even manufacture."

Nonetheless, other high-end car brands have worked with contract manufacturers such as Magna Steyr in Austria.

 

[Gazi]

Apple might be working on some kind of Smart Driver or Smart Car. No matter how weak IPhone becomes in the market IPhone always have Capability of introducing new Innovations so whatever they are up to it must be worth it.

 

[faisal6309]

iBike or iCar??

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Apple’s Titan Car Project to Challenge Tesla - WSJ

 

[utraash]

Weird ........... could be diversifying its business.........

 

[Echo_419]

Apple’s Titan Car Project to Challenge Tesla - WSJ

Why not just buy Tesla using those massive Cash reserves Apple has

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Apple studies self-driving car, auto industry source says

Apple studies self-driving car, auto industry source says| Reuters

(Reuters) - Technology giant Apple (AAPL.O) is looking beyond mobile devices to learn how to make a self-driving electric car, and is talking to experts at carmakers and automotive suppliers, a senior auto industry source familiar with the discussions said on Saturday.

The Cupertino, California-based maker of phones, computers and, soon, watches is exploring how to make an entire vehicle, not just designing automotive software or individual components, the auto industry source said.

"They don't appear to want a lot of help from carmakers," said the source, who declined to be named.

Apple is gathering advice on parts and production methods, focusing on electric and connected-car technologies, while studying the potential for automated driving, the source said.

"Fully automated driving is an evolution. Carmakers will slowly build the market for autonomous cars by first releasing connected and partially automated cars," the auto industry source said. "Apple is interested in all the potential ways you can evolve the car; that includes autonomous driving."

Whether it will build and release an electric car or a more evolved autonomous vehicle remains to be seen, the source said.

But clearly Apple has sharply raised its ambitions in automotive technology. Car technology has become a prime area of interest for Silicon Valley companies ranging from Google Inc (GOOGL.O), which has built a prototype self-driving car, to electric car-maker Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA.O).

An Apple spokesman in London on Saturday declined to comment on "rumors or speculation".

Trying to build an actual car would mark a dramatic shift for the maker of the iPhone and iPad. Apple often researches projects which are then discarded, but has so far mainly stuck to its core expertise in mobile and electronic devices.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Apple had set up a secret lab working on the creation of an Apple-branded electric car, citing people familiar with the matter. The lab was set up late last year, soon after Apple revealed its forthcoming smart watch and latest iPhones, the Financial Times said.

The Journal said that the Apple project, code-named "Titan", employed several hundred people working a few miles from Apple's headquarters in Cupertino.

Apple executives met with contract manufacturers including Magna Steyr in Austria, a unit of Magna International (MG.TO), the Journal said. A Magna spokeswoman declined to comment.

THE PATH TO SELF-DRIVING CARS

Autonomous driving is likely to emerge progressively as driver assistance systems become more sophisticated.

Already, carmakers such as Daimler (DAIGn.DE), BMW (BMWG.DE) and Volkswagen's (VOWG_p.DE) Audi (NSUG.DE) have revealed cars that can travel long distances without human intervention.

Analysts at Exane BNP Paribas have said they see a $25 billion market for automated driving technology by 2020, with vehicle intelligence becoming “the key differentiating factor”. But the brokerage does not expect fully automated cars to hit the road until 2025 or 2030, in part due to regulatory hurdles.

Short of building entire cars, there is money to be made from the software to run a self-driving vehicle, as well as the services associated with autonomous driving, such as mapping, car-sharing and car recharging services, the auto source said.

"It's a software game. It's all about autonomous driving," the industry source said.

Apple may be pursuing mainly auto industry expertise rather than full-scale partnerships with established car companies.

With its soon-to-be-launched Apple Watch, the company had held limited discussions with Swiss watchmakers, but no broad-based alliance emerged from the talks.

Instead of partnerships, Apple pursued a go-it-alone strategy and turned to poaching talent from top watch brands.

Two different sources have told Reuters that Apple has tried to recruit auto industry experts in areas such as robotics.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Sources say Apple car on the way in 2019 | Fox News

Apple will take mobility to the next level in 2019 when in launches its long-rumored electric car.

Sources familiar with the plan tell The Wall Street Journal that the tech giant has committed to the product and will soon triple the staff of its Project Titan, which has been investigating it for several years.

The company already has a foothold in the automotive business, with several automakers now offering its Apple CarPlay, which integrates iPhone functionality with a vehicle’s infotainment system, but has been secretly developing an electric car, according to insiders. But, while the company has recently discussed using an autonomous car testing facility in California, its first car isn't expected to be driverless.

There’s no word yet if Apple plans to set up its own manufacturing facility, like Tesla, or contract with an outside supplier, but it has recently hired several automotive industry veterans to work on the project.

But while the “ship date” has reportedly been set for 2019, the Journal reports that could just be the date the car’s design is finalized, not the date it goes on sale.

Apple has not commented on the report, but when Steven Colbert recently asked CEO Tim Cook if the company was interested in making a driverless car, he said "we look at a number of things along the way, and we decide to really put our energies in a few of them.”