“Right before Easter weekend Apple received a permit in California to turn three Lexus RX 450h hybrid SUVs into driverless cars, and for six drivers to take control if the cars misbehave,” Yoram Solomon writes for Inc. “Apple has been toying with the idea of a self-driving car for a while. Initially, through the internal, secretive Project Titan, and more recently through rumors of partnering or outright acquiring automakers McLaren and/or LIT Motors.”
“I don’t believe that Apple’s self-driving car, once released, will be safer, faster, consume less energy, or anything like that. The underlying technology will be on par with its competitors,” Solomon writes. “But I’m willing to bet that Apple will excel in the user interface, the iTunes and app-store-like infrastructure, and the design. I expect Apple to do things that were never done before. And for that — I expect customers to be willing to pay more.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Yup.
It goes without saying that Apple would create a premium vehicle, premium-priced for premium customers as usual, not a some low-end crate. — MacDailyNews, September 21, 2015
There will be something(s) unique about Apple’s “car” that set(s) it apart from the rest of the market in such a way as to command a premium. — MacDailyNews, September 24, 2015
SEE ALSO:
Apple secures permit to test autonomous vehicles – April 15, 2017
Apple’s letter to the U.S. NHTSA reveals 30-year Detroit veteran on its stealth ‘Project Titan’ team – December 8, 2016
Apple files patent for autonomous vehicle collision avoidance system – December 8, 2016
Apple letter all but confirms plans for self-driving cars and commitment to privacy – December 5, 2016
Apple drops hints about autonomous-vehicle project in letter to U.S. transportation regulators – December 3, 2016
It’s not McLaren Racing, but McLaren Applied Technologies, that’s the apple of Apple’s eye – September 23, 2016
Apple-target McLaren is a tech company disguised as a carmaker – September 22, 2016
Supercar-maker McLaren says not in discussion with Apple ‘in respect of any potential investment’ – September 22, 2016
Apple in talks to acquire British supercar maker McLaren – September 21, 2016
Apple in talks to acquire electric vehicle-maker Lit Motors – September 21, 2016