autonomous vehicles

Apple car just got a lot less ambitious

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It looks like Apple's car will have a steering wheel after all.
It looks like Apple's car will have a steering wheel after all.
Photo: Anna Vi/Unsplash License

Apple’s plan for a completely autonomous vehicle has gone back onto the drawing board, according to a reliable source. The company supposedly is still prepping an electric car but the self-driving capabilities much more limited.

The Apple car could reach customers in about four years.

Apple Car team was ‘dissolved’ but vehicle still coming in 2025

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Making a car could produce a massive windfall for Apple.
An Apple autonomous vehicle could still be on the road in just a few years, despite a reorg of the development team.
Photo: Possessed Photography/Unsplash CC

The group at Apple developing a self-driving electric car has been “dissolved for some time,” according to a reliable source of insider information. But the project supposedly hasn’t been canceled — it’s undergoing a reorganization.

This is likely a reflection of the many difficulties Apple has run into with this very complex project.

Cupertino reportedly selects Apple car parts suppliers

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That's the signpost up ahead - your next stop, the Apple Car. The Apple Car is way down the highway. But Apple has the pedal to the metal.
The Apple Car is way down the highway. But Apple has the pedal to the metal.
Photo illustration: Cult of Mac/Wikipedia CC

Apple resumed development of its autonomous electric vehicle on its own after failing to secure a major automotive partner, according to a new report. Cupertino supposedly is in touch with global auto parts manufacturers, indicating selection of a supplier(s) could be imminent.

Top Apple car exec hits off-ramp, heads for Detroit instead

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That's the signpost up ahead - your next stop, the Apple Car. The Apple Car is way down the highway. But Apple has the pedal to the metal.
The man reportedly running Apple car development has taken an exit.
Photo illustration: Cult of Mac/Wikipedia CC

Development of an Apple car just hit another speed bump. Doug Field, who’d reportedly been managing the project, just left to join the Ford Motor Company.

This is surely a blow to Apple’s secretive automotive efforts. And the company was already multiple years away from having anything to put in a showroom, according to the latest leaks.

Foxconn electric vehicle teamup makes it better fit for producing Apple Car

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Foxconn electric vehicle teamup with Fisker makes it a better fit for producing the Apple Car.
Fisker turned to Foxconn to product an electric vehicle. Apple might someday do the same.
Photo: Fisker

A deal between Foxconn and Fisker might eventually lead to Apple having its self-driving car produced by the same company that assembles iPhones.

Electric vehicle-maker Fisker agreed on Wednesday to team up with Foxconn to develop a “breakthrough electric vehicle.” Foxconn will manufacture the car.

Key employee exits Apple’s secret car project

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Benjamin Lyon‘s dream led him from Apple Car to outer space.
A long-time Apple engineer and manager left the Apple Car project to work on space tech.
Photo: Mihai Paraschiv/Pixabay CC

Benjamin Lyon left Apple after being with the company for 21 years. He worked on a variety of products, but most recently he’d been a senior director in the team working on the Apple Car.

But he’s going to go be a rocket engineer instead.

Apple car might never need a driver

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Apple Car
You may someday ride in an Apple Car but you’ll never drive one. You’ll program it instead.
Photo: Torsten Dettlaff/Pexels CC

No one will ever drive an Apple car, according to leaked information. Apple is reportedly planning a vehicle that’s completely autonomous. It’ll be programmed, not driven.

That would make it less like what Tesla offers and more like what Alphabet’s Waymo is developing.

Cupertino poaches Porsche chassis expert for Apple car

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The Apple Car could be partially designed by a man who designed this Porsche.
A man who helped design this Porsche is allegedly now working on the Apple Car.
Photo: Porsche

Apple reportedly hired Manfred Harrer for its top-secret self-driving vehicle project. It’s a telling move because Harrer previously was head of chassis development at Porsche. This is a clear sign that the Mac-maker is planning an Apple car, not simply an autonomous vehicle system to be licensed to automakers.

Apple keeps bringing in Tesla execs for Apple Car

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That's the signpost up ahead - your next stop, the Apple Car. The Apple Car is way down the highway. But Apple has the pedal to the metal.
The Apple Car is way down the highway. But Apple has the pedal to the metal.
Photo illustration: Cult of Mac/Wikipedia CC

Apple’s plan to make a self-driving vehicle is back on track, according to an unconfirmed report from a very reliable source. But the Apple Car won‘t be out for several years.

Still, as part of the effort the company recently snapped up Tesla’s head of autonomous vehicle software development  to work on the project.

Apple Car might not drive off the lot before 2028

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An Apple Car is supposedly in development, though it probably won‘t look anything like this.
A driverless vehicle from Apple might not hit the roads for close to a decade.
Graphic: hatzfeld/Pixabay CC/Cult of Mac

A respected Apple analyst and prognosticator threw cold water on recent reports about a future Apple Car arriving in the next few years. Ming-Chi Kuo says it’s possible a self-driving vehicle from Apple could land in 2025, but he wouldn’t be surprised if the launch doesn’t happen before 2028.

Innovative batteries might power Apple Car by 2024

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An Apple Car looks increasingly likely.
An Apple Car for your family might be ready in 2024.
Photo: Cult of Mac

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.

Apple’s autonomous car unit gets a new driver

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The Apple Car won‘t look anything like this. At all.
The Apple autonomous vehicle project is now part of the company’s AI division.
Illustration: Cult of Mac

Apple’s self-driving car division is reportedly on the move, but not in the usual way. The project has been transferred into Apple’s artificial intelligence division.

The reorg comes at the retirement of Bob Mansfield, who’d been managing the company’s not-so-secret autonomous vehicle development.

Apple calls alleged self-driving car spies flight risks

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Courthouse
Apple told a federal court that ex-employees shouldn’t be trusted to visit China after being arrested for stealing secrets from an autonomous car project.
Photo: Brett Sayles/Pexels CC

Apple thinks that two men accused of stealing secrets from its mysterious self-driving car project are likely to flee the country if they aren‘t closely watched.

Despite the drama surrounding their arrests, what makes this case most interesting is that it absolutely confirms that Apple has a self-driving car in development.

Noted analyst lists four ways that 5G will be a huge win for Apple

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No matter what your AT&T iPhone says, everyone else says “5G E” is 4G.
Apple has years to get a real 5G iPhone on the market, according to a well-known analyst.
Photo: Cult of Mac/@Siddavarapu

The faster cellular data networks being rolled out now will bring tremendous benefits to Apple, according to a well-known industry analyst. Gene Munster even said today, “Apple will be one of 5G’s biggest beneficiaries.”

He listed a number of current and future products that will see gains from this nascent wireless tech.

Apple gives a glimpse inside its self-driving vehicle program

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Project Titan
Apple is putting tremendous effort into ensuring test autonomous vehicles are safe, safe, safe.
Photo: Idiggapple/Twitter

A whitepaper describing the elaborate safety procedures used in Apple’s automated car development program seems intended to assure government regulators and the public that the company is making every effort to prevent accidents.

As a bonus, the document gives some insight into the automated vehicle Apple is creating.

Ride over for 200 employees of Apple’s autonomous vehicle program

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Apple Car might be coming, but will it be special?
Apple keeps so quiet about its vehicle program that this concept someone dreamed up is the best image we have.
Image: Aristomenis Tsirbas/Freelancer

Normally, Apple keeps mum about its self-driving car program but it has officially acknowledged a bit of restructuring in the project. This involved a reduction in its headcount.

The employees weren’t fired, and the move is being positioned as a restructuring after a new manager joined the program in August.

Apple may hit the brakes on autonomous vehicle program

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Project Titan
Apple’s test vehicles from its self-driving car project could be headed for the highway exit.
Photo: Idiggapple/Twitter

Apple’s self-driving car development could be headed for a cliff. Maybe. A questionable report from industry analysts says that there are layoffs in this division and the whole project might even be scrapped.

The cause is supposedly the slowdown in iPhone sales caused by the weakening Chinese economy. The reduction in revenue leaves less room for non-core programs.

Apple’s self-driving car fleet lags behind Waymo and GM

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Apple Car
Apple's first self-driving Lexus.
Photo: Bloomberg

Apple’s fleet of self-driving cars is expanding at an astonishing pace after starting with just three vehicles a year ago.

New records posted by the California Department of Motor Vehicles reveals that Apple currently has the third largest number of autonomous cars in the state, but it’s closing the gap on the Google’s self-driving car project that holds the number two spot.

Apple Car could drive off the lot in only 5 years

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Here's how Apple Car might eliminate blind spots
If an analyst is correct, the Apple Car could be your next vehicle.
Image: Aristomenis Tsirbas/Freelancer

One of the secret-but-not-really-secret projects Apple is working on is a self-driving vehicle. A well-respected analyst just gave his estimate of when this will be released.

Not only does Ming-Chi Kuo indicate that the “Apple Car” will debut between 2023 and 2025, he also lays out reasons why the product will be a success.

As a bonus, Kuo indicates when to expect Apple’s augmented-reality headset.

Why Apple should build a car

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Apple Car might be coming, but will it be special?
Something like this concept Apple car would become a reality if a couple of analysts are correct.
Image: Aristomenis Tsirbas/Freelancer

For the last few years, Apple has been investigating making autonomous cars, even though this is well outside its core competency of computers and their accessories.

The move leaves many observers scratching their heads, but a pair of analysts put together reasons why self-driving automobiles should be Apple’s next product category.