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Original poster
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German carmaker BMW on Thursday denied that its discussions with Apple involved developing an electric car, according to Reuters. German automotive magazine Auto Motor und Sport reported hours earlier that Apple and BMW were in close negotiations about developing the automaker's all-electric i3 vehicle into a so-called "Apple Car."
"The BMW spokesman said: 'We are in regular talks with companies from the IT and telecommunications sector, including Apple, concerning topics like connected vehicles. Developing or building a car is not a topic of these discussions.'"
siri_eyes_free_bmw.jpg
The German report claimed that the electric car could be manufactured by BMW and sold at Apple Stores, with Apple developing a full-fledged operating system for the vehicle that integrates with the car's fuel consumption and driving data. It is plausible that Apple is working to expand its CarPlay efforts on the dashboard, but it remains to be seen how closely integrated the platform will be with future vehicles.

Multiple reports claim that Apple is working on an electric car that is possibly self-driving and could enter production in 2020. Some other reports, however, downplay the rumors by suggesting that Apple is working on expanding its presence in vehicles through CarPlay. Any electric car project at Apple is likely in the early stages of research and development at this time.

Article Link: BMW Denies Report of Electric Car Discussions With Apple
 

tentales

macrumors 6502a
Dec 6, 2010
771
1,184
German car manufacturers' research about electric and/or self-driving vehicles goes as far back as the 90s. I seriously doubt that Apple without some serious assistance could develop a car from scratch in the suggested timeframe.

Carplay and its extended applications into existing cars of various manufacturers globally is a far more likely scenario.
 

koulmj

Suspended
Mar 18, 2013
376
471
I wonder if this is just like a regular made car with an "Apple Edition" stamp with some cool bluetooth and mapping features, like find my BMW or Siri-Sonata(Where the car talks back to you in a foreign accent).....
 

SpiderDude

macrumors regular
Jan 29, 2008
224
320
Portugal, Europe
Meh...

I'm guessing BMW is as scared of Apple making a car as Apple is of BMW making a phone.
To those saying Apple moved from the PC industry to the phone industry so cars is OK: c'mon, be serious for a minute.
 

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,069
30,943
Carplay and its extended applications into existing cars of various manufacturers globally is a far more likely scenario.

How many car manufacturers are going to let Apple own their dashboards? One would assume Apple would want this tech in many different cars. I doubt car companies want their dash looking just like a competitors dash. Also when has Apple ever successfully been a piece of technology in someone else's product? I don't remember the ROKR being a smashing success.

On one of The Verge's podcasts from CES they said they asked the auto companies there if they would let Google or Apple take over their dash and the execs replied "never".

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I'm guessing BMW is as scared of Apple making a car as Apple is of BMW making a phone.
To those saying Apple moved from the PC industry to the phone industry so cars is OK: c'mon, be serious for a minute.

I find it odd that car companies are even responding to these Apple rumors. Why not just simply say "we don't comment on rumors"?
 

sickducker

macrumors member
Sep 1, 2014
56
5
Uhg look at that dashboard:mad:, I don't understand why car dashboards still have to look like 80's stereo towers. Although car designers are capable of designing nice clean dashboards, they're only used in concept cars.
 

H2SO4

macrumors 603
Nov 4, 2008
5,625
6,924
German car manufacturers' research about electric and/or self-driving vehicles goes as far back as the 90s. I seriously doubt that Apple without some serious assistance could develop a car from scratch in the suggested timeframe.

Carplay and its extended applications into existing cars of various manufacturers globally is a far more likely scenario.

Then you don’t know Apple or this forum very well.
Someone will be along very soon to berate you for suggesting such nonsense and that even though a phone and a car are enormously different undertakings that Apple can use it’s massive pile of money to modify oversized versions of the new Mac Pro and two Beats pill for axles to make the new iCar.
Also Apple will wrest the name iDrive from BMW and there will be nothing the teutons can do as Apple can buy them.

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Uhg look at that dashboard:mad:, I don't understand why car dashboards still have to look like 80's stereo towers. Although car designers are capable of designing nice clean dashboards, they're only used in concept cars.

Dashboards are VERY difficult to design. As is bodywork.
Remember it’s not just a case of making it look nice. The shape has to be such that they can hide structure behind and it also can’t be allowed to constitute a hazard to the driver or pedestrian.
If they want to keep costs down they are hamstrung quite badly.

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If all they are doing is allowing Apple to control the software behind the screen then I can't see why they would be that bothered. It would mean that the likes of BMW no longer have to employ people in software anymore and can give it over to someone who can arguably do a better job. Plenty of car manufacturers have let Apple install car play which pretty much overrides their own sat nav software with maps.

BMW also want the dashboard to integrate with the rest of the car, not just the SatNav and this might be difficult with CarPlay in place.
 
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bigchrisfgb

macrumors 65816
Jan 24, 2010
1,453
639
How many car manufacturers are going to let Apple own their dashboards? One would assume Apple would want this tech in many different cars. I doubt car companies want their dash looking just like a competitors dash. Also when has Apple ever successfully been a piece of technology in someone else's product? I don't remember the ROKR being a smashing success.

On one of The Verge's podcasts from CES they said they asked the auto companies there if they would let Google or Apple take over their dash and the execs replied "never".

----------



I find it odd that car companies are even responding to these Apple rumors. Why not just simply say "we don't comment on rumors"?
If all they are doing is allowing Apple to control the software behind the screen then I can't see why they would be that bothered. It would mean that the likes of BMW no longer have to employ people in software anymore and can give it over to someone who can arguably do a better job. Plenty of car manufacturers have let Apple install car play which pretty much overrides their own sat nav software with maps.
 

SactoGuy18

macrumors 601
Sep 11, 2006
4,299
1,471
Sacramento, CA USA
There's a reason why both BMW and Mercedes-Benz have research centers in Silicon Valley. BMW may deny it, but don't be surprised that BMW is working with Apple on a specially-modified version of this car:

640px-BMW_F45_fl.jpg


This is the 2 Series Active Tourer. BMW could add the sensors Apple needs to turn it into a true self-driving car using Apple technologies.
 

Naimfan

Suspended
Jan 15, 2003
4,669
2,017
A BMW-Apple car could be amazing. I'd definitely want to at least try one.
 

leenak

macrumors 68020
Mar 10, 2011
2,416
52
I'd be very excited if apple developed a car but I'd be sad if it was tagged BMW...
 

newdeal

macrumors 68030
Oct 21, 2009
2,509
1,768
I really just want a car that is 45,000 has the range of a tesla and goes 0-60 in 7 seconds. Is that too much to ask? Oh lets just go with normal styling instead of this futuristic crap they are trying to do with electric cars (except tesla)
 

AppleInTheMud

macrumors 6502
Jun 19, 2012
427
120
Vojens Denmark
I wouldn't dare buying a car from Apple. It would probaly be EXTREMLY buggy and when you return it, they would say it's your fault. You were sitting wrong...
 

CJM

macrumors 68000
May 7, 2005
1,532
1,053
U.K.
Makes much more sense to modify an existing design, especially for a first attempt.
 

subsonix

macrumors 68040
Feb 2, 2008
3,551
79
If all they are doing is allowing Apple to control the software behind the screen then I can't see why they would be that bothered. It would mean that the likes of BMW no longer have to employ people in software anymore and can give it over to someone who can arguably do a better job. Plenty of car manufacturers have let Apple install car play which pretty much overrides their own sat nav software with maps.

There's a lot of software in a modern car that isn't related to the infotainment system though.
 

69Mustang

macrumors 604
Jan 7, 2014
7,895
15,043
In between a rock and a hard place
If all they are doing is allowing Apple to control the software behind the screen then I can't see why they would be that bothered. It would mean that the likes of BMW no longer have to employ people in software anymore and can give it over to someone who can arguably do a better job. Plenty of car manufacturers have let Apple install car play which pretty much overrides their own sat nav software with maps.

The software engineers do more than infotainment. ;) So the companies will always need people in software.

Not sure where you get the plenty of manufactures from. CarPlay support has only been installed on 2 cars to date: The Ferrari FF and the 'Segg Regera. That's not plenty. Controlling the sat nav is a long, long, long, long way from controlling the car's other functions.
 

definitive

macrumors 68020
Aug 4, 2008
2,049
893
...and in related news, abercrombie & fitch denies report of electric car discussion with apple.
 

c1phers

macrumors regular
Oct 27, 2011
208
39
Uhg look at that dashboard:mad:, I don't understand why car dashboards still have to look like 80's stereo towers. Although car designers are capable of designing nice clean dashboards, they're only used in concept cars.

I can't comment for all cars, but if you've ever driven that car in the picture, BMW 5 series, it's a really fun drive, the dash is very functional. It's my daily car and it has been my best driving experience.
 

BoulderAdonis

macrumors regular
Apr 30, 2012
241
118
Palo Alto, CA
Uhg look at that dashboard:mad:, I don't understand why car dashboards still have to look like 80's stereo towers. Although car designers are capable of designing nice clean dashboards, they're only used in concept cars.

It seems German engineering sees complexity as the utmost expression of excellence / elegance vs Apple/Steve Jobs seeing simplicity as the utmost expression of excellence / elegance. (Not to put words/thoughts into people I don't know). Interesting opposite ends of the spectrum.
 

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,069
30,943
If all they are doing is allowing Apple to control the software behind the screen then I can't see why they would be that bothered. It would mean that the likes of BMW no longer have to employ people in software anymore and can give it over to someone who can arguably do a better job. Plenty of car manufacturers have let Apple install car play which pretty much overrides their own sat nav software with maps.

When has Apple wanted to control something behind the scenes? If they're working on some big car infotainment initiative they'll want people to know its Apple. Projecting UI onto an existing screen is not the same as owning the dashboard. And as we've seen with CarPlay the user experience varies from car to car. I look at the current version of CarPlay as a bandaid solution. Kind of like iTunes on the Motorola ROKR.
 

unplugme71

macrumors 68030
May 20, 2011
2,827
754
Earth
I think Apple CarPlay will be an entertainment option when building your vehicle.

Similar to how Honda as the Entertainment/Nav package, GM has that MyLink or whatever its called.

So you'd have multiple choices to choose from.

Manufacturer
Apple
Google
Microsoft
etc..


How many car manufacturers are going to let Apple own their dashboards? One would assume Apple would want this tech in many different cars. I doubt car companies want their dash looking just like a competitors dash. Also when has Apple ever successfully been a piece of technology in someone else's product? I don't remember the ROKR being a smashing success.

On one of The Verge's podcasts from CES they said they asked the auto companies there if they would let Google or Apple take over their dash and the execs replied "never".

----------



I find it odd that car companies are even responding to these Apple rumors. Why not just simply say "we don't comment on rumors"?

I think the auto manufacturer would have to make the dash around their set display. For example - Apple might make a 5" 7" and 9" display and the auto manufacturer would develop the dash around it.

Similar to how Alpine has that "Perfect-Fit" dash kit for select vehicles.


Apple will say - we have this display and "brain". You can add a microphone, steering controls, center console controls, cameras, etc. It will integrate with our brain.

That way BMW is responsible for the Apple "certified" car accessories and Apple is responsible for the display and brain.

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"The German report claimed that the electric car could be manufactured by BMW and sold at Apple Stores..."

Yes, let me walk into those tiny Apple stores and see BMW, Audi, GM, Ford, etc on display hahahahahahahahhaha
 
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