It seems that research for Apple’s automotive “Project Titan” is picking up speed, with a newly published report claiming Cupertino has opened a small R&D office in Berlin — with the sole purpose of inventing the electric car of the future.
The new Apple car facility employs between 15 and 20 “top-class” employees, many of whom have previously worked in Germany’s buoyant automotive industry. Skills include everything from creating software to mechanical engineering and sales expertise.
The report from German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung suggests that the first-gen Apple Car will be electric, although it won’t have the self-driving capabilities that future iterations will.
Apple is allegedly looking to pursue a vehicle-sharing business model like BMW’s DriveNow, where users can pick up a car, drive wherever they like, and then leave it anywhere within the business area. Interestingly, DriveNow was recently suspended in San Francisco, since it ran afoul of the car-sharing and parking laws there.
Finally, it is suggested that Apple will hire the Austrian arm of auto engineering and manufacturing firm Magna Steyr to carry out production of the Apple Car.
This isn’t the first time Apple has opened a satellite office to work on the secret Project Titan. In addition to a host of facilities in Silicon Valley, Apple has also leased space in Ottawa, Canada, to tap local expertise in automotive software.
Source: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
Via: Apple Insider
