Apple Car Development Speeds Up, 2019 Launch Date Targeted

[McGiord]

Why is this a thing that's happening? It's such a stupid idea for them to make a car. Integrating with the dashboard I understand, but having a whole apple branded car is just stupid and doesn't fit in with Apple at all. They need to focus more on software for iOS to make it the best they can, rather than stupid projects like this.

I just hope they change the way cars are marketed and sold, getting rid of the dealers would be a dream come true.

 

[Cole Slaw]

This should be the first Chinese vehicle on the market selling for $50k plus.
Great for China I guess.

 

[SoAnyway]

Take this with a huge grain of salt. Apple may be working on a car project but producing a working vehicle is a whole other thing.

The WSJ has been known to be anti-Tesla and has delivered "well timed" news to cause TSLA to tank with no real basis. This happened this morning actually while TSLA was trading as high as 271 and after this piece was released, the stock tanked to 256.


Full disclosure, I am currently holding a long position in TSLA and I do trade shares of AAPL.

 

[Analog Kid]

I'm finding it hard to believe that Apple is going to manufacture automobiles. It would certainly be a bet-the-company move.

 

[Crzyrio]

They do not have MORE of a carbon footprint than goddamn gasoline engines. That is preposterous. The larger the scale of the conversion the more efficient it is. Lots of little small engines will always waste far more energy (in heat) than one large one. I hope you aren't a climate change denier or something. I find it incredible how it's still a debated issue in the USA. It's only because of fossil fuel companies investing in loud politicians that there is still discussion. In the EU the only question is what is the best way to tackle climate change. If some Republican came to an EU Parliament meeting with nonsense about "unsettled science" he'd be laughed out of the chamber.

Elon can help you out:

While I agree electric cars have a smaller carbon footprint, the difference at this point in time is not large enough for there to be a clear winner.

I would say if you look at the full spectrum from getting the fuel to using it, the difference between an electric vehicle and gasoline vehicle is about 10% - 20%.

We will only see a big jump in overall efficiency once we see things like the Gigafactory come into play.

 

[radiologyman]

Apple does not enter market unless they think they can change it. Apple will finally solve charging station availability and have electric car somewhat reasonably priced due to economies of scale. And with expected from Apple well integrated car electronics and actually working voice controls, I will be probably buying it.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

when will they start factoring in coal plants as emissions, since they need to be charged? sorry for your feel good but electric cars have more of a "carbon footprint" than the gasoline engine. i guess we'll know when it isnt politically advantageous anymore...

Not true. Even if your car runs on 100% coal powered electricity, you will still only emit less than half the amount by a gas engine, due to the high efficiency of power generation at power plants compared with car engines.

 

[mdriftmeyer]

Enough with the Carbon:

This has been thoroughly tested and certified by the DoE.

http://www.afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/electric_emissions.php

A true Hybrid has the lowest emissions footprint presently. When the backbone goes clean then this chart will change.

 

[cwoloszynski]

Porsche's 911 replacement just revealed leap frogs Tesla and its battery range is far superior.

http://www.porsche.com/international/aboutporsche/pressreleases/?pool=international-de&id=360138

Over a 500km driving range on a single charge. That should be Apple's target in range.

If Porche can get this working, I hope Apple can bring it to the masses. Sweet concept car!

 

[tivoboy]

I don't buy this because who are they going to supply this OS to? The Daimler CEO said last week he wasn't going to become the Foxconn of cars and wouldn't outsource the car's brain" to Apple or Google. Ford has decided to bypass Apple and Google as well. I can't imagine any car maker wanting their car "brains" being the same as a competitor so what would Apple do, design different "brains" for different manufacturers? Has Apple ever been successful supplying software to other hardware companies?

Many car companies "brains" are the same already. They just customize and train them differently. Having a common source for something like automated driving systems and data wold actually be better than many different systems.

 

[tivoboy]

Where did you get that data? The last I heard it was more like $5K per car.

Many automotive industry analysts and not just on the short side

 

[Denmac1]

1. Available for purchase in Apple stores or on Apple.com
2. $99 test drive and tour of Apple car delivered to your door
3. All technology features as standard (significantly less up-selling for kit over traditional car manufacturers)
4. Choice of several interiors materials and looks and exterior car colours. Bespoke interior colours/materials at additional cost
5. Fully electric vehicle with free use of Tesla supercharger stations
6. Branded  One

Forgot the Burberry interior. Also Apple will sell a solar panel installation for charging due to the discount they received from buying so many for their farms.

 

[Denmac1]

I really do question Apple building an entire car - it just seems so outside the rest of their product line. I could see them co-branding a car (hopefully not as disastrous as clones or the ROKR), but I have a feeling this is going to be more of a super CarPlay that Apple will shop around as an OEM solution (like MS Sync).

Maybe I'm wrong though, and if I am it'll probably be the first Apple product I don't buy... I would be shocked if an Apple car comes in at less than six figures.

Apple doesn't manufacture anything. This will be a sourced commodity under their stringent quality control (snicker...didi I say that?)

 

[Denmac1]

While in car.

Me: "Siri please unlock door"
Siri: "Sorry, I can't do that right know."
Me: "Why not"
Siri: "I'm downloading my software update. Estimating time remaining is....."

Me: Siri, make a right turn at the next intersection.
Siri: I'm sorry, I can't connect to the internet right now.
And the following crash is inevitable.

 

[unplugme71]

when will they start factoring in coal plants as emissions, since they need to be charged? sorry for your feel good but electric cars have more of a "carbon footprint" than the gasoline engine. i guess we'll know when it isnt politically advantageous anymore...

just like energy consumed to make solar panels defeats the environmental impact it offers.

Although the idea is as more panels are produced and more turbines, that manufacturing those equipment will run off clean energy to produce it.

Hopefully we can recycle all the old stuff

 

[lincolntran]

If Porche can get this working, I hope Apple can bring it to the masses. Sweet concept car!

And I'll be buying on day 1

 

[tennisproha]

I'm skeptical of this. I think this could be something more to do with a significant overhaul of Maps than a production consumer car.

Apple is a computer company. Every product it's released to date has been a reiteration of the computer in different form factors. The car as we know it now is simply not the same thing.

 

[tennisproha]

Porsche's 911 replacement just revealed leap frogs Tesla and its battery range is far superior.

Less than 50 miles more is hardly 'leap frogs'. And its only a concept which means probably wont ever go into production.

 

[UltimaKilo]

I'm skeptical of this. I think this could be something more to do with a significant overhaul of Maps than a production consumer car.

Apple is a computer company. Every product it's released to date has been a reiteration of the computer in different form factors. The car as we know it now is simply not the same thing.

I'm also very skeptical, but the electric car industry is still very nascent and there is room for someone like Apple to get in. If I were at Apple I would continue to focus on the TV project and experiment with VR; an automobile doesn't really seem profitable.

I'm also very uncertain that electric cars will be popular in the medium turn. With low gas prices and improvements in hybrid tech, it's not worth the price of the tech. In two years most hybrids will have the 55+mpg standard already found in some cars today.

 

[firewood]

I believe that you are being excessive with the quantity of computers a car have. Can you please name them? I'm really curious.

1st paragraph of this article:
http://endeavors.unc.edu/more_processors_more_problems

halfway down this article.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/ford-mercedes-set-up-shop-in-silicon-valley-1427475558

At least 100 processors. Millions of lines of code. But, according to an automotive engineer I've talked with, these numbers are undercounts, as many more of the microprocessors are hidden in 3rd party parts/components used by the auto manufacturers. Every door, seat and wheel may have several.

 

[tennisproha]

I'm also very skeptical, but the electric car industry is still very nascent and there is room for someone like Apple to get in. If I were at Apple I would continue to focus on the TV project and experiment with VR; an automobile doesn't really seem profitable.

I'm also very uncertain that electric cars will be popular in the medium turn. With low gas prices and improvements in hybrid tech, it's not worth the price of the tech. In two years most hybrids will have the 55+mpg standard already found in some cars today.

If they are thinking of getting in that market they would def need to be thinking outside the box. reinventing the wheel with electric so to speak.

I'm actually very positive on electric cars. I think in the near term we'll start seeing a bigger adoption. EV is a no-brainer on so many levels. the prices will start to come down with economics. people forget oil is in fact a finite resource. and we'll run out of it within the next 100 years.

 

[thekeyring]

The true answer is the hybrid is the most environmentally efficient, to date. As more of the power grid moves off of fossil that will move to an all electric advantage.

No, we need to make as many cars as possible electric. Then, when we sort out the power stations we won't have a ton of cars still spewing out carbon.

 

[D-Dave]

Not sure about the metality of car manufacturers...but there may be a good chance that as soon as apple brings it's own car to the market, other makers could slam the door to any cooperation (especially carplay)...just a thought....

 

[oldmacs]

How about they get iOS 9 working properly first?

Should be faster than iOS 8 on all devices, given how little in the way of new features/power sapping features there are .

I can see it now. Car OS 2 will be released with the Apple Car 2, regardless of Car OS 2 being ready - Oh its ok if some people's engines stop running or breaks stop working due to bugs.

 

[Pigmanhorse]

Because Samsung has a car...

Well, maybe in 2020.

Seems like you havent been to korea before..
Samsung cars are all over the place.