Apple’s Project Titan to build an electric vehicle has shined the spotlight on several potential manufacturing partners capable of building an “Apple Car.”
Apple is moving forward with self-driving car technology and is targeting 2024 to start production of a passenger vehicle that could include its own breakthrough battery technology, Reuters reported in December, citing “people familiar with the matter.”
Debby Wu, River Davis, Gabrielle Coppola, and Kyunghee Park for Bloomberg News:
The secret project has gained momentum in recent months, adding multiple former Tesla Inc. executives, gaining the supervision of Apple’s top artificial intelligence executive and ramping up road tests. The initiative, known as Project Titan inside Apple, is attracting intense interest because of its potential to upend the automotive industry and supply chains, much like the iPhone did to the smartphone market.
If and when Apple commits to building a car, it is likely to seek multiple partners — including a major one to assemble the vehicle and many others to supply key components. The following companies — whose representatives declined to comment — are possible candidates:
• Foxconn
• Magna
• Hyundai or Kia
• Nissan
• Stellantis
MacDailyNews Take: Of course, at this early date, with “Apple Car” years away from launch, there are even more potential candidates for building the vehicle(s), including BMW, Volkswagen, Ford, General Motors, Tesla, and Honda.
The answer to the question IMHO is “No One Will” , I don’t think there will ever be an “Apple Car” and the speculation is useless. If I am wrong, so be it…
I tend to agree with you. Apple spent (and wasted) so much money on this supposedly money-making project, the type of thing only Tim Cook might think of (i.e., follower, not an innovator). Along the way, they began to find that various others, mostly traditional “titanic” auto-manufacturers like European, American and Japanese’ have been too far ahead on autonomous or other car technologies. When Apple realized it, the next move undoubtedly was to get out of it by disposing whatever they have been trying to develop and exceed. Whatever Apple might want to do, it is likely that they stay within their own bubble, and concentrate on the recovery of past investments by selling components. Tesla when it was the laughing stock by Big 3 etc, Elon simply ignored the noise and went ahead buying idle Toyota Plant in California (easier to start actual car assembling), and now look at them. Tim Cook is absolutely no Elon Musk, but he is actively poaching key tech personnel from Tesla now. And if Apple insist on putting their emblem on the front tip of cars manufactured by others, like some sketches show, consumers will be turned off. They are not interested in buying an Apple branded car. Too funky and thought of as a toy car. It will actually lower the brand value by selling such cars. Maybe Hyundai or Kia would be interested in. I really believe Project Titan, as plausible naming as it is, was a failure and Apple wish to recover wasted investment, except monetizing some specialty type component or technology. Jut No Apple Car. No thank you… I love Mac though.
I do like a brave prediction.
Chinese slaves. Or American slaves after Tim Cook helps turn America over to the CCP.
Well, if you are going to go back to the “Cold War Era”, then the term is “CCCP” rather than “CCP”. Just saying. Besides, Mr. Trump and his Republican supporters were rather fond of Vladimir Putin as I recall.
Yes, I know the term “CCP” could be “Chinese Communist Party” but really, can I suggest we keep fasist political beliefs out of the discussion. And besides, I spent 12 years as a card carrying member of the UAW working for Chrysler before I joined the salaried ranks at Chrysler – first as an engineer in a “bargaining Salary” category where we will still represented by the UAW and then as a Salary employee as a Corporate Powertrain Engineer. And in NO WAY did I ever feel that I was a “slave”, to use your word.
As it stands, since I have a slight bias regarding this topic, I hope Stellantis gets the Apple project. FCA (before it merged with the French automaker, Peugeot). FCA did supply Apple with LIDAR modified Chrysler minivans for Apple’s street mapping tasks – and perhaps their autonomous vehicle test “mules”. But who knows.
. . . “Besides, Mr. Trump and his Republican supporters were rather fond of Vladimir Putin as I recall.
Yes, I know the term “CCP” could be “Chinese Communist Party” but really, can I suggest we keep fasist political beliefs out of the discussion. ”
WOW, make the political statement and then ask others to not join in.”
May I suggest you not to post them in the FIRST place so that you don’t have to ask others not to post!
I think he was replying to the first political statement actually so not sure how he was ‘posting them in the first place’, but hey it’s a crazy old world these days I guess so I’m. not sure why I am even bothering to add rationality to the mix.
This is just getting too weird today has there been a blood moon or something.
Apple only needs to build the first Apple Car. After that they will self-replicate.
Would the “Apple car” be as innovative and revolutionary as the first iPhone was to the flip Phone? If so, then Cook will have reached the Steve Jobs level, perhaps even surpass him in vision and stature.
Also, let’s be real: The impeachment is about protecting millionaire legislators from a millionaire former president, not about improving my or other workers’ lives. If Congress wanted to do some good, it would give everyone an iMac and pre-paid broadband. That’s what taxes are for, right? They are not to reward the 1% via wars.