Rumours of the Apple Car were all the rage a few years back, but it’s been much quieter of late, with word the company may have scaled back its ambitions after several key figures left the project.
Apple has expanded its vision with CarPlay, bought key sharing into play with Apple Watch and iPhone devices, and it was thought the project may be falling by the wayside.
However, according to a Bloomberg report on Tuesday, the Apple Car is still very much alive with a planned launch of a self-driving car as soon as 2025.
The report says Apple is still planning to launch a vehicle, despite reported strategy shifts and internal debate on how to proceed with the project. Today’s report says, the current plan is to “make something fully autonomous and remove both the traditional steering wheel and pedals. The company also has sought to emphasise safety with its vehicle.”
The latest update comes with news Apple has reportedly hired a key figure from Ford who “helped lead safety efforts and vehicle engineering” at the legacy auto company. Apple has not commented on the reported hire of Desi Ujkashevic, while Ford says she has retired from the company.
Desi Ujkashevic had worked at Ford for over 30 years, the report says, and may now take on a similar role for Apple. However, Ujkashevic has undertaken multiple engineering roles at the firm that could be useful to Apple.
She was also involved in the development of Ford’s growing range of electric vehicles, such as the EV version of the F-150 pickup. That could be key for Apple, as could her experience in dealing with regulatory issues. Apple has none of that when it comes to the auto market.
Would you be interested in buying an Apple Car? Let us know @trustedreviews on Twitter.
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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.
