For years, rumors swirled that Apple was creating its own autonomous car under Project Titan. Those rumors gave way to reports that the company would focus on just the technology inside these vehicles. Finally, Apple CEO Tim Cook is explaining the company’s strategy in this area, though some mysteries still remain.
“We’re focusing on autonomous systems,” Cook told Bloomberg Television earlier this month. “It’s a core technology that we view as very important.”
For months, it has been clear Apple is up to something. The tech giant was granted a permit to test autonomous vehicles in California in April. And documents obtained by the media showed the workings of Apple’s autonomous driving system, complete with a steering wheel and pedals.
Although it’s definitely working on self-driving tech, Apple hasn’t committed to manufacturing its own autonomous vehicle. “We’ll see where it takes us,” Cook said. “We’re not really saying from a product point of view what we will do.”
In the interview, Cook said that the self-driving car is just one purpose of autonomous systems. He calls autonomous technology “the mother of all AI projects.”
Perhaps Apple will adopt a similar strategy to its rivals and introduce its self-driving technology into existing vehicles. Throughout the industry, automakers, tech companies, and ride-hailing services are partnering to accelerate the deployment of self-driving cars. Waymo, the company that spun off of Google’s autonomous car project, has outfitted Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans and Lexus SUVs with its self-driving technology. Meanwhile, Uber has introduced its technology to vehicles including the Volvo XC90. General Motors and Lyft have partnered to create a network of autonomous vehicles for hire across the U.S.
Source: Bloomberg
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