Last year, following a ton of speculation, it emerged Apple may have scaled back its self-driving car ambitions, after many expected it to announce its own autonomous vehicle.
A Bloomberg report from October claimed the iPhone maker had refocused its efforts on developing software for autonomous cars, rather than an actual vehicle of its own.
The secretive “Project Titan” team was said to have been reduced dramatically as a result of the decision, with sources claiming the project was “blighted by internal strife.”
In other words, it was all a bit disappointing following the months of speculation and rumours that an Apple Car was in the works.
Related: Apple Car
And although there’s been a few developments to suggest the car may still arrive, such as Apple’s December letter to America’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there’s not been a whole lot to suggest the company is still serious about building its own autonomous vehicle.
But today, it seems there could be hope for Project Titan, as a new supplier list seems to suggest Apple is still working on such a vehicle.
The list of Apple suppliers (via) highlights the firm’s environmental responsibility, and includes, for the first time, German company Bosch.
It’s been known for some time that the firm, listed as Robert Bosch GmbH, supplies parts for iPhones, but
The Tuebinger Strasse 123 facility in Reutlingen, Germany is said to work on “functional areas” of research and development, alongside the “manufacture of mobility solutions.”
While it’s not known exactly what parts this facility provided to Apple, AppleInsider says it’s confirmed with Bosch employees “not authoriseed to speak on behalf of the company” that the products supplied are “automotive and mobility-enhancement related”.
Of course, there’s no way to know for sure just what Apple is doing here. It could be that the parts provided are used for testing the autonomous software the company is said to be working on after downsizing the Project Titan team.
But it’s a promising development for those that still want to see a fully autonomous car from the firm – a car that was once said to be set for a 2020 release.
At this point, it’s anyone’s guess when or if the car will arrive, but stay tuned for more in the coming months.
Let us know in the comments if you’d like to see an Apple Car in the future.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
