The rumours are abuzz that tech giant Apple Inc is mulling over expanding its reach beyond the mobile devices to self-driving electric cars.
The company is learning how to make these automatic electric cars from experts at the carmakers and automotive suppliers, according to a senior auto industry source familiar with the matter.
After proving its niche in the industry of smartphones, computers, laptops and, soon, watches, the Cupertino-based technology is exploring the technology behind self-driving electric cars, its automotive software designing and its individual components, the source said.
“They don’t appear to want a lot of help from carmakers,” the auto industry source, who declined to be named, said on Saturday.
If the report is to be believed, Apple is gathering advice from experts over parts and methods of production. The company’s main focus is on connected and electric car technologies and studying the potential for automated driving.
“Fully automated driving is an evolution. Carmakers will slowly build the market for autonomous cars by first releasing connected and partially automated cars. Apple is interested in all the potential ways you can evolve the car; that includes autonomous driving,” the source said.
When contacted Apple Inc on Saturday, the company’s spokesman in London denied commenting on “rumors or speculation”.
In such a scenario, whether Apple will be developing an electric car or a more advanced autonomous vehicle remains a mystery, but one thing is clear that the Cupertino-based company has sharply raised its ambitions in the development of automotive technology.
Share this:
