Apple: Is the Apple Car coming in 2024?

According to recent reports, the Apple corporation aims to start production of an autonomous electric vehicle for the mass market by 2024. The company plans to set new standards with affordable, long-range batteries. This was reported by the Reuters news agency, citing insiders. Apple plans to introduce a so-called "Monocell" design, in which the individual cells are integrated directly into the battery pack without the use of modules. The production of the vehicle will be handled by a contract manufacturer. There has already been contact with Magna Steyr regarding this, where the Fisker Ocean will also be assembled.

It has been very quiet recently concerning the "Apple Car": in 2018, the tech company reportedly converted some VW T6 transporters into self-driving electric shuttles for Apple employees to test technology internally, and nothing has been heard since. In August 2018, Apple veteran Doug Field, who had been employed at Tesla in the meantime, returned to lead the project – which apparently led to further development. However, according to Reuters, he had to lay off 190 employees from the project team in 2019. Insiders say that significant progress has been made since then, leading Apple to now aim to introduce its own autonomous electric vehicle for personal use.

This differentiates Apple from Alphabet subsidiary Waymo or Aurora, both of which are developing Robo-Taxis intended for integration into public transportation. According to the report, Apple also wants to keep an option open to create an autonomous driving system that can be integrated into third-party vehicles, acting solely as a software provider. It will be interesting to see how the involvement of iPhone contract manufacturer Foxconn, which also aims to enter the electric vehicle market with its so-called "MIH" platform, will affect this. According to company CEO Liu Young-way, Foxconn wants to be represented with parts or services in one out of every ten electric cars worldwide by 2027. The Taiwanese company itself plans to manufacture a range of components for electric vehicles. The MIH includes batteries, as well as software and vehicle internet services for third parties.

What does this mean?

It will be interesting to see what "demand" Apple has identified among consumers to potentially offer an autonomous electric car from 2024. In cities, it would definitely have a chance, further enhanced by the Apple image and presumably ease of use. The established automotive industry should definitely stay vigilant and closely watch what is being developed in California.