The rumors surrounding the alleged Apple Car have reached a new high in recent days. Now there is a new report that sheds light on the first version.
Yesterday it was reported, according to which Apple and Kia will soon conclude a billion dollar deal that focuses on the alleged Apple Car. Now CNBC has joined in the reporting and reported further details. Citing sources familiar with the product, the news channel confirms that the $3.6 billion deal will be concluded shortly. But despite the impending deal, Apple is also said to be negotiating with other car manufacturers. This is what the report highlighted:
Apple Car: Further partnerships not excluded
The so-called "Apple Car," being developed by a team at Apple, is tentatively scheduled to go into production in 2024, although people familiar with the talks between Apple and Hyundai-Kia say the eventual launch could be pushed back. Moreover, they stress that Apple could ultimately choose to partner with another automaker - separately or in addition to working with Hyundai.
In addition, CNBC claims to have learned more details about the first version of the Apple Car. It claims that the first Apple-branded electric vehicle will be fully autonomous. A source familiar with the product explained that the "Apple cars will not be designed to have a driver." As the report points out, a car that is not made for drivers could initially target ride-sharing or delivery companies rather than regular consumers. So some kind of robotaxi?
Apple Car: Is it an electric minibus?
They will be autonomous, electric vehicles designed to operate without a driver and focused on the last mile.” This could mean that Apple cars could, at least initially, focus on grocery package delivery services and companies with robotic axles.
Developing a fully autonomous car is not impossible, but it seems to be an extremely ambitious plan – especially if you plan to launch it on the market in 3-4 years. This statement that the first version of the Apple Car could be a kind of robotaxi is not new. February 2019 Manager Magazin reported that Apple's first prototypes are electric minibuses that can drive completely autonomously. This means that the first version of the Apple Car may not actually be intended for us end consumers. (Photo by Andrey Suslov / Bigstockphoto)
