Apple's Automotive Team Includes Former Tesla, Ford and GM Employees

[MacRumors]

Apple's alleged automotive team consisting of hundreds of employees working on an electric vehicle includes several former Tesla, Ford and GM employees, according to 9to5Mac. The report reveals that Apple has also recruited talent from smaller firms in the automotive industry and other fields, including A123 Systems, MIT Motorsports, Ogin, Autoliv, Concept Systems and General Dynamics.

The list of recent hires from Tesla includes David Nelson, a mechanical engineering manager at the car maker until this month, and John Ireland, previously a senior powertrain test engineer at the company. Tesla's former head recruiter Lauren Ciminera also joined Apple in September and is likely responsible for recruiting additional engineers for the automotive team. The trio of hires surface just weeks after it was reported that Apple and Tesla continue to fight over top employees.

Another notable hire is Mujeeb Ijaz, who most recently served as chief technology officer at A123 Systems. Ijaz led a team responsible for research and development for the company's leading lithium-ion energy storage technology. Prior to that, he worked at Ford as an electric and fuel cell vehicle engineering manager for nearly sixteen years. The hiring adds fuel to yesterday's report that Apple faces a lawsuit for poaching key employees from A123 Systems.

The report adds that Apple has also recruited former Ford engineers David Perner and Jim Cuseo, although the latter has been with the company since 2010 as a product design lead and manager for the iMac. General Motors' Fernando Cunha recently joined Apple as well after working various engineering and product design roles at the auto maker since 2001. Dillon Thomasson of General Dynamics, Robert Gough of Autoliv, Hugh Jay of EMCO Gears and Rui Guan of Ogin are other new hires.

Last week, multiple reports from credible sources claimed that Apple is developing an electric vehicle that is possibly autonomous in a top-secret research lab near its headquarters in Cupertino, California. Some reports say otherwise, claiming that Apple is working on expanding its dashboard presence through CarPlay. These hirings suggest that Apple may be working on a larger project after all, but it remains to be seen if a full-fledged electric vehicle is in the works.

Article Link: Apple's Automotive Team Includes Former Tesla, Ford and GM Employees

 

[meaning-matters]

Space

Perhaps they're working on a space vehicle ... And it runs OS X -> Space X?

 

[JoEw]

Something cool is happening in Cupertino.

 

[wigby]

Don't forget that Apple also hired former president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Research & Development Johann Jungwirth to join the company as Director of Mac Systems Engineering.

 

[Four oF NINE]

This isn't real.

 

[2bikes]

Now the Spaceship campus makes sense... There is probably a race track in there for testing.

 

[rohitp]

It would be completely bizarre for Apple to actually be getting in to the automobile manufacturing business. I suspect this has much more to do with ancillary technologies like batteries, navigation, autonomous navigation, deeper auto integration, etc. Way too much of a departure from the core technology business.

 

[KdParker]

Good for Apple if they can come up with a car that can run more efficiently.

Not sure why there are so many doubters for something that hasn't even been confirmed.

All these hires could be for positions that have nothing to do with cars.

 

[Joe Rossignol]

Don't forget that Apple also hired former president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Research & Development Johann Jungwirth to join the company as Director of Mac Systems Engineering.

MacRumors reported that here: https://www.macrumors.com/2015/02/13/apple-automotive-research-lab/

This report is more about covering other hirings that haven't been mentioned. Thanks for input.

 

[GuitarDTO]

We get it. They are working on a car, or something car related....and their team includes people who know things about cars, or car related items.

 

[KdParker]

It would be completely bizarre for Apple to actually be getting in to the automobile business. I suspect this has much more to do with ancillary technologies like batteries, deeper auto integration, etc. Way too much of a departure from the core technology business.

So was the cell phone business before the iPhone and music player business before the iPod.

 

[jayducharme]

I just can't imagine Apple getting into building cars (though perhaps Jony Ive would have a field day). A personal electronic and computer manufacturer making a phone is one thing; a car is a bit different. But then again, look at companies like Mitsubishi that are into everything.

Optimistically, I'd like to think that Apple would do this as an implied threat of entering the market, to help push the U.S. auto industry (which tends to drag its heels implementing new technology) forward. But with the number of reported hires, Apple has to be working on something more concrete. I'm baffled.

 

[JohnnyGo]

This isn't real.

Same opinion until I read the 9to5mac article.

It is happening. When ? Nobody knows. How ? I have no clue. Why ? That is the key question.

My guess is that there are three major reasons behind it:
A) SJ really wanted to do something in the segment
B) TC is a champion of causes and believes Apple should do its part: solar energy, electric cars. "Enough talk, time for action" his own words just last week
C) Automobile sector is one large ($$$) and global segment of the world economy.

 

[GreenWater]

Don't forget that Apple also hired former president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Research & Development Johann Jungwirth to join the company as Director of Mac Systems Engineering.

The news is not all bad then.

 

[Infinitewisdom]

It would be completely bizarre for Apple to actually be getting in to the automobile manufacturing business. I suspect this has much more to do with ancillary technologies like batteries, navigation, autonomous navigation, deeper auto integration, etc. Way too much of a departure from the core technology business.

I would agree, except that when you have as much money as Apple does, you probably should stray off the beaten path once in a while.

 

[Urban Joe]

If Apple decides to do a car they will be a force to reckoned with.
With their deep pockets they could basically hijack the raw material supply lines making it nearly impossible to compete with...in the electric market.
I would imagine an Apple car to be something like a fiat or Mini Cooper. However if and when it materializes it might be something like a space age Rolls Royce.
I love Apple products but I'm not to keen on Apple monopolizing one market after another.

 

[JohnnyGo]

I just can't imagine Apple getting into building cars (though perhaps Jony Ive would have a field day).

So now we have a 4th reason:
D) Keeping Jony happy

 

[doelcm82]

Not sure why there are so many doubters for something that hasn't even been confirmed.

All these hires could be for positions that have nothing to do with cars.

That makes you a doubter too. Doubting things that haven't been confirmed is common sense.

 

[nagromme]

I doubt Apple themselves even knows--yet--whether they'd ever develop a car for actual sale. Experimenting in new directions is smart, and business as usual for Apple, but don't read too much into it. If such a plan does come about, it will be a long way off.

As many have pointed out: cars are very low margin, and Apple usually doesn't venture there.

On the other hand, Apple is also driven to make products where they think they have something better to offer--which might, in theory, supersede the margin issue? Maybe. Doubtful.

And we know Apple IS working on in-dash integration and mapping. Those are public already.

Plus, talent from the automotive industry could apply to other industries as well. It doesn't have to be a "a car" just because a given person worked on a car before.

 

[Aluminum213]

GM?


What could go wrong?

 

[Rogifan]

It would be completely bizarre for Apple to actually be getting in to the automobile manufacturing business. I suspect this has much more to do with ancillary technologies like batteries, navigation, autonomous navigation, deeper auto integration, etc. Way too much of a departure from the core technology business.

I can't see it either. If they are working on something I would assume it will be contracted out.

 

[Plutonius]

I can't wait to see how Samsung responds .

 

[theheadguy]

Perhaps they're working on a space vehicle ... And it runs OS X -> Space X?

Something cool is happening in Cupertino.

This isn't real.

Now the Spaceship campus makes sense... There is probably a race track in there for testing.

We get it. They are working on a car, or something car related....and their team includes people who know things about cars, or car related items.

So now we have a 4th reason:
D) Keeping Jony happy

The quality of posts on this board is embarassing.

 

[surfingarbo]

I really like MacRumors. Even though they did reference the source, I have to say, this is great investigation reporting from 9to5Mac.

 

[saintforlife]