Posted on 03/01/2015 3:58:35 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Just a few weeks ago, the idea that Apple might make a car seemed like an outlandish rumour. Today, it's accepted by many as gospel. Numerous reports have filtered through in recent days, providing more detail on Apple's automotive ambitions.
Of course, nothing has been confirmed yet. The Apple Car would be a massive, multi-year undertaking. But here's what we've heard so far:
It's called Project Titan. The detail comes via a report from the Wall Street Journal.
It's an electric car. This puts the company in competition with Tesla, which develops cutting edge electric-powered vehicles. VC and entrepreneur Jason Calacanis has predicted Apple will acquire Tesla in 18 months for an eye-watering $75 billion. Apple CEO Tim Cook has also expressed a repeated interest in renewable energy. The company recently announced it's building a $850 million solar plant to power its California operations.
It looks like a minivan. The prototype could be subject to change before it hits the roads, however.
Apple has hundreds of people working on Project Titan, including senior figures from the automotive industry. This includes former Ford engineer Steve Zadesky, who helped build the iPhone. There's also Johann Jungwirth, who was Mercedes Benz's R&D chief before being hired by Apple in September 2014.
Apple employees have been working on Project Titan for more than a year, and this team has permission to grow to 1,000-strong. This is backed up by a previous FT report, which claimed Apple has "dozens" of employees working at a "new top-secret research lab" and is "recruiting experts in automotive technology and vehicle design."
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
More likely an iDsel.
Anything they plug into a wall socket and call it a “car” for power is technically an appliance.
Wait.
You have a Time Machine? When did those become commercially available?
Appliance? That’s the idea. We’re more than halfway there with the Camcordimas.
many companies have worked on Titan... only to shutdown development and move developers to other projects once earnings and user subs drop to unacceptable levels
Not I
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Apple didn’t announce they were building a car!
For people who do a lot of commuting, a self-driving car will allow them to do a lot of other productive things during that commute!
Besides that, it will be a boon for parents with teenagers ... they won’t have to drive to get to places. The parents’ insurance costs will go down dramatically!
It’s paying off quickly ... :-) ...
Buying Tesla would be a good way for Apple to bonfire that excess cash.
The only thing about that ... is ... APPLE has had the experience of doing THAT VERY THING!
Good points.
I have a lot of confidence this will happen.
I just hope it isn’t mandated, as that would give the govt total control over personal vehicle movement.
Just think. When the self crashing cars do their thing we can call the occupants “Applesauce”.
After reading your very astute post, I came up with the ultimate realization about what Apple is up to. . . the fusion of the two ideas:
The 3D Printing AppleGarage. You want a Apple car, Select the car choice on your Apple iPad, iPhone or iMac Proteus App and then walk out to your 3D Printing AppleGarage and drive it out. When you are finished with your trip, park it in the AppleGarage and it dissolves it back into its component materials. Next time you want an Apple Truck. . . again, select truck, specifying the type of bed you need, on your Proteus App on which ever device you wish. . . perhaps even scheduling the time you will need it. . . and then Voilá, walk to your 3D Printing AppleGarage and drive it out. . . do the job, and bring it back into the job for recycling of the materials. Want a sporty two seater for a date? Simple. Select it in the Proteus App, and the AppleGarage will produce it for you in just minutes. How about a Utility Van for running to the grocery store? No problem. Just a click away. Vacation Motor Home? Allow an hour. . . but you'll be driving down the road in no time with the 3D Printing AppleGarage! Motorcycle? No problem.
Should I patent it?
Apple has said before that for every “YES” (for a product to market) there are 1,000 “NOs”’. This project (whatever it may be) could be a “NO”!!
AND ... no one actually knows if it is a self-driving car. That is TOTAL SPECULATION!!
Besides that, it will be a boon for parents with teenagers ... they wont have to drive to get to places. The parents insurance costs will go down dramatically!
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And brew pub sales will skyrocket if you don't have to worry about driving home...:^)
The ones they have at their other plants, such as the one they have running their South Carolina Server Farm, not only allowed them to no longer buy energy from the grid, they are selling power back into the grid when they have surplus poser.
Fortunately for Apple, I trust they plan to push into the electrical generation business.
That is what they are doing. That $850 million. . . it was invested with a company whose expertise is already in that area, and will be selling the power to the public as well.
No one has confirmed from Apple that they’re building a car. I wouldn’t rely on articles based on SPECULATION!
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