Apple Inc. is working to accelerate the development of its electric car and reorient the project around full autonomous driving capabilities, writes Bloomberg.
Over the past few years, Apple’s car team has explored two simultaneous paths: creating a model with limited self-driving capabilities, focused on steering and acceleration – similar to many current cars – or a version with complete self-driving skills that don’t require human intervention.
Under the new project leader – Kevin Lynch, Apple Watch software director – engineers are now focusing on the second option.
Shares of Apple rose 2.4 percent to $ 157.23, after Bloomberg reported the news.
In an attempt to develop a fully autonomous car, Apple is, in fact, following the Holy Grail of the automotive industry. The technology and car giants have spent years designing and developing such cars, but their capabilities are still insufficient to achieve the goal.
Tesla Inc., the market leader in electric vehicles, is likely to offer fully autonomous cars within a few years. Waymo of the Alphabet Inc. has suffered a number of deviations in its efforts to develop the technology. And Uber Technologies Inc. agreed to sell its self-governing division last year.
Apple is aiming to launch its autonomous car in four years, faster than the five- to seven-year deadline some engineers had planned in early 2021. But achieving that goal for 2025 depends on the company’s ability to complete the autonomous driving system. – an ambitious task in the program. If Apple can’t reach its goal, it could either delay the launch or initially sell a lower-tech car.
An Apple spokesman in Cupertino, California, declined to comment.
Apple’s ideal car would not have a steering wheel and pedals, and its interior would be designed to drive without hands.
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