Apple is reportedly prepping an an autonomous vehicle that’s aimed at the consumer market. Leaked information indicates Apple is going to make a car and sell it to the public, not just develop self-driving technology to license to other companies.
Apple Car production supposedly will begin in 2024 using cutting-edge battery technology.
An Apple Car is/isn’t on the way
Work on the autonomous car, supposedly under the Project Titan name, started around 2014. But reports in 2019 indicated it had hit some speed bumps. There were layoffs and the goal allegedly was downshifted to just making underlying autonomous driving technology, not an actual vehicle.
If so, the company might be back on track. “Apple has progressed enough that it now aims to build a vehicle for consumers, two people familiar with the effort said,” reported Reuters on Monday. But that could change again, with the company producing a self-driving system for another car maker.
An electric vehicle with a cutting-edge battery
As this will supposedly be an electric vehicle, the battery will be an important component. But Apple puts rechargeable batteries into almost all its products, so it’s an expert. Reuters sources indicate the Apple Car could use a “monocell“ design that packs in extra capacity by not breaking the battery up into smaller cells. And the battery might be made with lithium iron phosphate, as this is less likely to overheat.
At one point, the vehicle could have been produced by Magna International, the largest automobile parts manufacturer in North America. But negotiations between it and Apple reportedly broke down.
Digitimes recently did its own research among Apple’s supply chain, and also predicts a release in 2024 or 2025.
An Apple Car in September 2021? Seriously!?
But the whole process might go much more quickly that Reuters thinks it will. An Apple self-driving vehicle will hit the road in autumn 2021, according to an a confirmed report. Taiwan-based Economic Daily News reported on Monday that, “The key supply chain in Taiwan confirmed that Apple expects to release the Apple Car in September next year, at least two years earlier than the original plan,” according to a machine translation.
The Taiwan site says various Asia-based companies are revving up to make components for an Apple autonomous vehicle. And prototype units are being secretly tested in California now.
It must be noted that AppleTrack indicates Economic Daily News has a 36.8% accuracy rating for Apple-related leaks and predictions.
