That Apple is planning to enter the automotive industry is no secret. Moreover, a few months ago conversations with Hyundai Motor were leaked in order for them to be the manufacturer of a hypothetical Apple Car. Ultimately this did not bear fruit, which does not mean that the company has ceased its investigations. A recent report by The Wall Street Journal collects the statements of some of the most important executives in the sector, who spoke precisely of the imminent arrival of the Californian brand in this market.
We wouldn’t necessarily see an Apple Car
For years, the company led by Tim Cook has been working on what is known as Project Titan, a code name for the development of its own car. For this they have numerous patents related to batteries and autonomous driving systems, which makes us imagine a high-end car very much like Tesla. Camphemini Engineering Germany’s CTO Peter Fintl told WSJ the evidence that the apple brand is testing the market. This is affirmed based on what is commented on in the main supply chains.
As explained in the same report, Apple’s desire is to be able to control the entire car design and manufacturing process, which would allow them to better manage the end-user experience. This is not something new and we already see it in brand products such as the iPhone, iPad and Mac. However, this sector is different in operation from any other and its high entry barriers are a sign that Apple will have to do things very well to ensure success.
Due to this existing complexity, it is also said that Apple could be exploring other lines of business that do not directly involve developing 100% vehicles and then offering them to users at dealerships. There are those who dare to affirm that Apple is considering the idea of launching a fleet of autonomous taxis , which would be strange to say the least in Apple’s line of business, but in no way unreasonable if we take into account its main current weaknesses in the sector, This could be a first step on your way.
Hypothesis aside, seeing the car is not ruled out
As we mentioned at the beginning, Apple was in talks with Hyundai so that they would be the manufacturer of their vehicle in the future. It is known that they had negotiations since 2018 and it seemed that this year this deal would be closed, but the division of opinions among the directors of the Japanese company caused everything to be truncated and finally no agreement was signed. To this day it is unknown if talks have been resumed, since the scheduled date for the agreement was last March.
Apparently, many of the Hyundai executives did not agree to simply be the one who put the factories for the Apple Car without being able to participate further and even sign the final product. Those from Cupertino wanted to take advantage of the facilities that their counterparts have in the state of Georgia, but having absolute control over them and over the final product.
We don’t know if these conversations will ever resume or if Apple will find other partners. In any case, it seems more than evident that it will be a soap opera that will take us years, since until 2030 we may not see the first official information from the company regarding its vehicle and / or driving system.
