2015, the message didn't stop Apple to develop their cars, only from test water systems to handle a whole car, every "rumor" to weave his magic. Beginning as a staple of jokes about it all, no one believes, but as time went on, the message gradually into line, sketched image of this line has become increasingly clear, perhaps Apple car really slowly towards us.
Six months ago, since the emergence of so-called Project Titan Apple Rumors, we will from time to time by such messages noisy. But I think now is the time for us to sit down and seriously Apple car of the future. But most of the sources below is unconfirmed rumors, so hold on hold again.
What person?
Apple allegedly Project Titan team unusually large, members of more than 600 people! But if recent reports are true, this number will expand to three times now in the near future, such a large group may completely drain Silicon Valley automotive engineering talent pool. But the good news is, this kind of talent has become more and more.
Automobile production factory near Apple headquarters in kubudinuo there are so many! Ford, General Motors, BMW, Nissan, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz have gathered in the area, and 30 minutes from here is where Tesla's factory. Apples from the Tesla poaching is not a secret, there is news that Apple even from Tesla's move provided a $ 250,000 signing bonus. But Tesla hired staff is little small-time, really big BOSS is from Mercedes-Benz hired Johann Jungwirth.
Is the Jungwirth who? Prior to his switch to Apple is the head of the Mercedes-Benz research and development centers in North America, the research and Development Center focused on research of new intelligent car.
Mercedes-Benz of North America Research Center
And Steve Zadesky of the legendary leader of the Apple Project Titan was once the traditional auto industry insiders, who is an engineer of Ford Motor Company, joined Apple in 1999. He played an important role in the history of iPod, until recently, has been responsible for overseeing iPhone's design work.
Apple is chasing high-end talent will continue, but such crazy counter poaching could certainly lead to other companies, this is not, a Michigan company called A123 Systems batteries just because Apple recruitment package plan (packages to poach key employees of the company) but personally came to the theory.
What kind of car do?
Initial rumours and reports, Apple car and Google product similar to driverless cars. Apple automatically driving at the California Department of motor vehicles for registration information is for people to be reassured, autopilot function at Apple appeared on the cars in the future.
However, recent reports show that Apple seems to want to retain the traditional manual on vehicle driving. These reports are disturbing.
There is no timetable? Moschino cover
Apple Auto recently reported in 2019 will eventually come out, and four years from now, if you count the Project of Titan has begun a year, the entire development cycle at a five-year, and that's fully consistent with the conventional car production cycle.
Five-year upgrade has become a tradition used in the automotive industry. Take Porsche 911lai said recently at the Frankfurt Motor Show in the latest upgrade, and released on generation of 911 is about 5 years ago. Porsche's roadmap, the new 911 is a minor facelift, dress up the new engine and suspension system, and Apple CarPlay provides system support.
However, there are exceptions, that is, Ford GT, from concept to final published only as little as 14 months. But don't think about it too much, this car really went on sale two years after the release. But for Apple, officially released in 2019, it is no problem.
Designers only took 14 months to design a classic Ford GT
This also means that in 2019, we see no chance of driving Apple car is considerable and, of course, the car may also have a traditional driving mode. After all, Volvo is ready to sell dual-mode driverless cars in 2017.
Why build?
Even if we can prove that all rumors are true, we still have a lot of unable to solve the mystery, one very important point is that Apple's motives, and really is no easy answer to this question. The simplest answer is that Apple wants to sell cars to find new profit growth point. However, the evolution of the automobile industry is not like the electronic industry, and each new idea that require numerous tests before. But in recent years, a great change in our concept of the private car, self-driving cars of the future come true, our original idea is going to usher in a new earthquake.
In many cities, car-sharing services (such as Uber) has been able to meet the travel needs of ordinary people, people buy cars, power has dropped to the freezing point. Future driverless car available, and driver can be laid off, driverless cars will replace everything. If this dream come true, will bring great changes to the automobile industry as a whole.
Major car manufacturers know this perfectly well, so they are trying to seek change. BMW has tried to develop its Car2Go service, while Ford also has many of the Smart Mobility plan similar projects. It is obvious that this is the future of the industry as a whole, if Apple sold by old thinking focused on profits, may not have officially went on sale was pulled away by his opponent.
If you need to rent a car is the subject of future industry, we will have a new problem, that is, an auto industry how much recruits can eat cake? After all, if we all used car rental, there will be much demand for new cars?
Who is responsible for the manufacture of Apple's car?
Apple and other vendors, it does not have its own factories, annually sells millions of products are made by companies such as Foxconn, OEM, and this policy was created by current CEO Tim Cook. If advent Apple car, vehicle manufacturing and production will be a big problem. However, Apple will also begin to build factories in the future.
Even so, Apple still needs partners like Google. Google combined the Detroit car manufacturer owned by Roush Industries to build self-driving cars. But this is only a test phase of expediency, entered mass production so that partners cannot meet the demand, Apple needs to find an auto giant to help.
BMW will become cooperation partner?
Many rumors are shown top of Apple and BMW are constantly in contact and even came to Germany to visit the production line of the company. BMW on the Apple support has been at the forefront of the industry, and most importantly, BMW's high-quality was obvious, but Apple is also known for its high quality, in addition, i3 to Apple's research and development arm of the BMW also has important significance, both companies were in heaven.
But Apple are willing to rely on another platform make cars? After all, who didn't want to see iPhone looks like a Nokia.
How is the road where?
Google has always been very open and other advantages and disadvantages of driverless cars we all see clearly. But Apple has always been secretive, tight-lipped on its research and development plan, I'm afraid we'll never know how many test vehicles throughout the development process will be born, how many iterations and polished, or which product was killed off at the last minute, but this is an Apple.
Huge research and development team, weak production and transportation capacity, regulatory obstacles will become obstacles in the cars process, these difficulties and obstacles, and even cast doubt on whether Apple has the ability to eventually bring the world a new "one more thing".
But these stories are not behind the scenes we are most concerned about, we really care about is whether Apple car, like its iPod, iPhone or iPad-like, as the industry changes and shapers. Apple is in the player, mobile phones and other industry newcomers, so the apples onto the automotive industry fast lane how long will it take? Let us try to be. Moschino iPhone 6 case
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235 votes
Google car
Google developing driverless technology for 6 years, despite public concerns, but the company continues to increase development efforts, and strive to make driverless car practical and firmly believe that driverless cars will be successful within 5 years "the road." Google's self-driving car project manager Chris Urmson said that by 2020, the driverless cars will not only popularity, will also be a "standard".
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