We’ve known for a while that Apple is working on something big for the automotive industry. Still, while everybody believed the company wanted to launch its very own car, an industry executive comes up with a scenario that could take many by surprise.
What if, instead of a fully electric car, Apple is actually working on a self-driving service?
Peter Fintl, the director of technology and innovation for Capgemini Engineering Germany, told the WSJ that Apple has been very active behind the closed doors of the automotive sector, mostly trying to improve its car engineering and manufacturing know-how while also searching for partners.
On the other hand, Fintl explains that nobody knows for sure if Apple is indeed planning to launch a full car. He adds that the company could very well come up with a stand-alone tech platform or a mobility service that could land in the form of a self-driving taxi.
Needless to say, Apple is doing an excellent job when it comes to keeping all details away from the press, and its FBI-like obsession with secrecy seems to be working like a charm right now, so pretty much everything is pure speculation for the time being.
That said, Apple building a tech platform that it could then sell to other carmakers is rather unlikely, especially given the company has previously discussed its automotive expansion with traditional companies like Hyundai and Nissan. Several automakers said they didn’t want to become a contract manufacturer for Apple, so the tech giant almost certainly wants to find a partner to build a product for it.
In other words, there’s a good chance Apple is indeed working on a car, but the taxi service speculation is surprising, nonetheless.
Nevertheless, Apple is known as a company that’s pushing hard for innovation, and the world of robotaxis is still in its early days, meaning this approach would align with its strategy in the long term.
People familiar with the matter said that whatever Apple is working on could be unveiled in 2024 or 2025 at the earliest, so expect more information to surface rather sooner than later.
Peter Fintl, the director of technology and innovation for Capgemini Engineering Germany, told the WSJ that Apple has been very active behind the closed doors of the automotive sector, mostly trying to improve its car engineering and manufacturing know-how while also searching for partners.
On the other hand, Fintl explains that nobody knows for sure if Apple is indeed planning to launch a full car. He adds that the company could very well come up with a stand-alone tech platform or a mobility service that could land in the form of a self-driving taxi.
Needless to say, Apple is doing an excellent job when it comes to keeping all details away from the press, and its FBI-like obsession with secrecy seems to be working like a charm right now, so pretty much everything is pure speculation for the time being.
That said, Apple building a tech platform that it could then sell to other carmakers is rather unlikely, especially given the company has previously discussed its automotive expansion with traditional companies like Hyundai and Nissan. Several automakers said they didn’t want to become a contract manufacturer for Apple, so the tech giant almost certainly wants to find a partner to build a product for it.
In other words, there’s a good chance Apple is indeed working on a car, but the taxi service speculation is surprising, nonetheless.
Nevertheless, Apple is known as a company that’s pushing hard for innovation, and the world of robotaxis is still in its early days, meaning this approach would align with its strategy in the long term.
People familiar with the matter said that whatever Apple is working on could be unveiled in 2024 or 2025 at the earliest, so expect more information to surface rather sooner than later.