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It's Official: Apple is Testing Self-Driving Cars
Apple has been granted a license for testing autonomous vehicles in California, marking the formal launch of its race with the likes of Uber, Alphabet and Tesla to define the future of driverless transportation. The permit was revealed with Apple's appearance on the list of approved companies on the California automotive regulator's website on Friday morning. From a report: This suggests Apple's ambitions in the auto industry are alive, despite some reported upheaval in the project, code-named "Project Titan." Reports last year centered on changing leadership and shifting focus within the project, which is under the command of veteran Apple executive Bob Mansfield. Still, as Apple looks for its next major growth driver after the iPhone -- and as cars increasingly become computers -- it's easy to see why the company would be interested.
They'll only run on iGas, which can be purchased at special stations for $6.99 / gallon.
Or do they require their own proprietary iRoads?
Pretty sure they meant to say that Apple a retroactively invented self driving cars! Man those guys are smart. I bet the cars have rounded edges too.
Those guys who take the apple logo sticker that came with their iPhones and stick it on the back of their cars... you know they're gonna be gasming bigly!
Also: the first 100 iCars will come with a permanent new car registration sticker, you will never have to put license plates on your car so you can park it in any handicapped spot, just like Mr. Jobs!
> Will Apple become a completely different company?
Apple already has become a completely different company than what it was in the 80's and early 90's.
Just as Apple has neglected it's PC / laptop customers due to focus on the iPhone, I suspect the same will happen with the new distraction on self driving cars.
I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
Features of the Apple Car:
1. Every time they repaint the lines on the road, you have to buy a new Apple car.
2. Every year, you'll have to replace the Engine with a new version. This will be free, but the handling will become less responsive. The only way to fix this will be to buy a new car.
3. It will be the narrowest car ever made. There will only be room for a driver, but for some reason people will say this is better than the old clunky fat cars from over 100 years ago. Besides, everyone loves driving, why would you want a passenger?
4. Because it's so narrow, there won't be room for a steering wheel. But the car will come with an iTouch that links to the car via bluetooth to let you steer using touch screen controls.
5. There will only be one pedal. You press it with your right foot to accelerate and left foot to brake.
6. Headlights will not be user replaceable. When the headlights burn out, you have to buy a new car.
7. The oil, engine, gas and alternator warning lights would be replaced with a single "General Car Fault" warning light.
8. People will get excited about the "new" features in the Apple Cars, forgetting completely that they have been available in other cars for many years.
9. The Apple car will only work with Apple fuel. It will be much more expensive, less efficient, and more polluting than gasoline, but Apple will tell us how great it is for the environment anyway.
10. The airbag system would say "Are you sure?" before going off and start a 60 second countdown.
11. They won't build their own engines, but buy them from their most hated competitors who they're constantly involved in court battles with.
12. The latest engine will have 32 cylinders, and multi-point fuel injectors. But the fuel pump will be so under-powered that the car stalls several times a day.
13. They will replace the liquid cooling system with an air cooling system. If you ever take the car up to highway speeds, you'll have to stop for 5 minutes every half hour, but the car sure will run quiet.
14. You will only be able to listen to music on Apple Music. Playing any other audio in the car will void the warranty.
15. All roads will have to become toll roads with 30% of the tolls going to Apple. If any states refuse to charge these tolls, your car won't drive on them.
16. If you don't upgrade to the latest version every year, people will make fun of you even though your car drives faster.
17. The car will only be able to drive in the right lane. The ability to switch to other lanes will require an ICP (in car purchase) and you'll have to spend 5 TimGolds every time you change lanes.
18. Using the windshield wipers will be 10 TimGolds.
19. Instead of being made of steel, the car will be made out of paper thin aluminum. Crashes will not be survivable but every will applaud when Apple makes he car 3mm narrower.
> Will Apple become a completely different company?
Apple already has become a completely different company than what it was in the 80's and early 90's.
Just as Apple has neglected it's PC / laptop customers due to focus on the iPhone, I suspect the same will happen with the new distraction on self driving cars.
You apparently haven't been paying attention: Apple is most certainly NOT neglecting its "PC/laptop" customers.
For some well-crafted definition of "neglect" that may be true, but for any reasonable definition they certainly are. The product line has had gaping holes for a decade, products are cancelled and not replaced, products go many years without update, software gets buggier and buggier. It's not different than Microsoft neglecting their Win95/98 codebase with Millennium and likely equally by design. The Mac Pro is neglect at its finest.