Roger Fingas for Apple Insider:
Titled “Wireless Charging Alignment Systems,” U.S. patent application 20190210480 describes a car in which “control circuitry may use the steering and propulsion system to park the vehicle in a parking space,” where “wireless power may be transferred from a wireless power transmitter in the parking space to a wireless power receiver coupled to a vehicle body.” Sensors would record transmitter alignment and efficiency, using this data to better optimize parking later on.
“Vehicle parking position may be intentionally varied over a series of parking events to gather additional alignment information,” Apple adds.
Interestingly, one of the named patentees, Hunter Wu, once worked on wireless chargers for electronic buses.
MacDailyNews Take: But, but, but I thought Apple had mothballed development of Apple Car?
Do not stand between the car and the chaging system.
…or your credit cards, or your pacemaker, or your dog, or your cat, or…
I think they will abandon this project too, because they won’t be able to figure out how to get it to charge your iPhone at the same time. And who wants to leave their iPhone laying under their car?
Ouch, that hurts. Maybe because there’s a ring of truth in it. I got a wry smile out of it nonetheless.
I wish Apple well here but didn’t they just give up developing a pair of smart glasses you wear on your head because that was too difficult or something? A car is infinitely more challenging.
Coming after Apple’s release of Apple AirPower. Oh, wait…
Apple, after securing John Travolta for the TV ads and purchasing naming rights will call their Apple Car Wireless Charging System, Greased Lightning!
It’s Electrifying…
Take it away John.
Yeah, good luck transferring 60amps wirelessly! There is a reason that EV have a big fat charge cable.
If the distance for inductive coupling can be set up to be very short, it should be possible to fairly efficiently transfer high power. The parking space could raise an inductive coil into contact with the bottom of a vehicle.
As It’s Electrifying said… “Coming after Apple’s release of Apple AirPower. Oh, wait…”
At this point I would not have any confidence in Apple doing any wireless power transfers at all.
Of course will Apple pull this off.
Why?
Because Apple is a proven expert on wireless charging systems.
Infrastructure is the weakest point in all this and without that, its all a pipe dream. And Infrastructure is the biggest hurdle. Car is easy. Wireless is easy. Getting the pols to approve everything is not.