The year 2020 is sure filled with a lot of surprises. And while most of them have quite literally put us in a lockdown, there are still some surprises that are not a bummer. Who would have thought that Apple’s next big move could be into the world of self-driving cars, right? Well, as it turns out, that’s what Apple is reportedly planning,
A report by Reuters states that the Cupertino giant is planning to start producing self-driving cars by 2024. The report further says that Apple’s forthcoming cars would come with a superior battery technology that would just be ‘next level’ by all means.
Apple has been making progress with its plans after hiring Doug Field, who happens to be a former Tesla employee. Field has been at Apple for quite some time and is a part of a project called ‘Project Titan.’
The report says that Field had also sacked around 190 workers from the project last year.
Apple to Start Production by 2024
Apple has reportedly made gradual progress in the project, and it is now working on a consumer-centric self-driving car. Reuters noted the developments on account of two sources who wish to stay anonymous. Apple is yet to let out an official word about its new plans.
Concerning the specifics, the report states that Apple’s self-driving car’s battery design is powerful enough to ‘radically’ decrease the cost of purchasing the component. It uses a ‘monocell’ design that reportedly increases the size of battery cells. The design creates more space inside the battery pack by removing pouches and modules that hold inside materials.
Apple has reportedly made gradual progress in the project, and it is now working on a consumer-centric self-driving car. Reuters noted the developments on account of two sources who wish to stay anonymous. Apple is yet to let out an official word about its new plans.
Concerning the specifics, the report states that Apple’s self-driving car’s battery design is powerful enough to ‘radically’ decrease the cost of purchasing the component. It uses a ‘monocell’ design that reportedly increases the size of battery cells.
The design creates more space inside the battery pack by removing pouches and modules that hold inside materials.
The battery design enables the car to travel farther before needing another charge. Apple may use a material known as LFP (lithium iron phosphate) to reduce the chances of overheating and make the battery safer than using lithium-ion. The report says that Apple’s car technology is ‘next level’ and path-breaking like the first iPhone.
Apple’s car is also expected to ship with a LiDAR sensor that was also a part of camera tech on its iPhone’s 2020 lineup. The LiDAR sensor enhances AR capabilities and autofocus in dark surroundings. LiDAR would help the autonomous driving system create a 3D view of the roads on Apple’s car.
Will Apple Design the Vehicle from Scratch?
The sources close to Apple believe that the company is up to a big challenge because it will enter a whole new industry, i.e., Automobile, wherein there are already established players like Tesla.
But they are affirmative that Apple is the best new contender for the industry. And they say, “If there is one company on the planet that has the resources to do that, it’s probably Apple. But at the same time, it’s not a cellphone.”
In a statement by Tim Miller, managing partner at Apple investor Gullane Capital Partners said:
“It would seem to me that if Apple develops some advanced operating system or battery technology, it would be best utilized in a partnership with an existing manufacturer under license. As we see with Tesla and the legacy auto companies, having a very complex manufacturing network around the globe doesn’t happen overnight.”
Tim Miller, Gullane Capital Partners
The report further states that Apple is yet to find a manufacturing partner to produce the car based on Apple’s designs. It’s the same process that the company follows for its iPhones, making a third-party manufacturer produce its product according to specific design and strategy.
The sources close to Apple say that the company has two choices: either get a third-party manufacturer for its vehicles and just supply the vehicle’s self-driving system. Or design the product from scratch and with an autonomous driving system.
Well, the report has sure got us enticed, and we can’t wait to see Apple making some tangible progress in the segment. The pandemic might have caused some roadblocks in the project’s timeline, but we may see Apple successfully overcome the delays.
Even if it is unable to overcome delays, we may still get to see the car in flesh and bones by 2025.
