Apple's Car Project Shifts Towards Autonomous Driving System Under Mansfield's Direction

[MacRumors]

Bob Mansfield, a longtime Apple executive who previously served as Senior Vice President of Technologies, recently took over Apple's secret car project. Under his leadership, Apple's car strategy has shifted towards autonomous driving, reports Bloomberg.

Apple is not abandoning its effort to build a full Apple Car, but it is said to be focusing more heavily on creating an autonomous driving system that would perhaps allow it to partner with or purchase a car manufacturer in the future. Apple is now said to be pursuing a two-prong development approach, working both on a car and the software to power it.

As Apple takes a renewed interested in autonomous driving systems, it has hired Dan Dodge, who ran BlackBerry's automotive software division and developed QNX, the software platform found in a wide range of in-car infotainment systems. Dodge, like other Apple car engineers and employees, reports to Mansfield, while Mansfield reports directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Mansfield reportedly has three distinct teams in his division: a software team led by John Wright, a sensor team led by Benjamin Lyon, and a hardware engineering team led by D.J. Novotney. Under Mansfield's direction, Apple is continuing its aggressive hiring policies, taking on former Ford employees Todd Gray and Aindrea Campbell, both of whom have experience with car body manufacturing and research.

With Mansfield at the helm, Apple may be able to get its car project back on track. Rumors have suggested that the departure of Steve Zadesky, who formerly led the project, resulted in delays, internal strife due to challenges like unattainable timelines, and organizational changes. Recent rumors suggest Apple is now aiming to launch an Apple Car in 2021 instead of 2020, but if Apple decides to go with a software-based product meant to be built into existing cars, it could potentially debut earlier.

Article Link: Apple's Car Project Shifts Towards Autonomous Driving System Under Mansfield's Direction

 

[xizdun]

Apple logo superimposed on a BMW steering wheel.

 

[smacrumon]

Apple and Tesla should work together. Their company values align probably more than any other brands I can think of in the tech space. They are both forward thinking and have a creative spirit. Apple should however forget about buying a company and instead focus on partnerships when it comes to the car. Nobody wants a rebadged BMW or Mercedes, they are relics from last century that have been digging in their heels for too long.

 

[44267547]

Mansfield will lead this Project successfully I believe. Good move by Apple by making him the leader.

 

[TechGeek76]

"Apple is not abandoning its effort to build a full Apple Car,"

Since there is no evidence they are actually building a car.....

 

[usarioclave]

Instead of a self-driving car, why not a remotely-driven car?

 

[Rogifan]

If Apple is working on its own vehicle that car would need software. It only makes sense to have options. I'm still not convinced automakers will purchase software from Apple. It sure seems like they all want to do their own thing (and are further ahead than Apple in this space anyway). But maybe one day we'll wake up to Apple having acquired BMW or something.

 

[IJ Reilly]

"Apple is not abandoning its effort to build a full Apple Car,"

Since there is no evidence they are actually building a car.....

Either way, it sure beats a partial car.

 

[smacrumon]

"Apple's car strategy has shifted towards autonomous driving" Ummm. Autonomous driving should have been the starting point, not a new direction for the project.

 

[FactVsOpinion]

Selling software to other companies, or enabling software integration with other car companies feels odd. That seems like an android move... I like to think of apple as a hardware company with supporting software, rather than as a software company. I thought CarPlay as merely an expansion of iPhone use rather than as a new way of doing business.

On the flipside, the strongest part of their computers is now actually the software (MacOS) not the hardware. I think the hardware design is still usually first class, but spec-wise, competitors compete very strongly.

 

[JoEw]

Smart direction, very similar to how Apple approached the phone market, they partnered with Motorola learned a lot about what goes into making a phone released 2 crappy iTunes supported Motorola ROCKR phones and a couple years later iPhone was born.

I see the same direction with the car.

 

[mcfrazieriv]

hah ^^^^

Literally... first conversation was probably WWSJD "What would steve jobs do?" ... and then referenced the history of the iPhone starting with the ROKR and modeled the development from that.

 

[Bollockser]

You're steering it wrong.

 

[Zirel]

Apple and Tesla should work together. Their company values align probably more than any other brands I can think of in the tech space. They are both forward thinking and have a creative spirit. Apple should however forget about buying a company and instead focus on partnerships when it comes to the car. Nobody wants a rebadged BMW or Mercedes, they are relics from last century that have been digging in their heels for too long.

For the better of the market, Apple and Tesla should NOT work together.

That way, Apple HAS to beat Tesla, and Tesla HAS to beat Apple.

That way, we all win.

And no, Apple is not buying anyone or making rebadged anything, there's nothing supporting that.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Does anyone else find the choice of picture for this article to be ironic?

An autonomous car could look a lot like a normal car. It'd still have seats, doors, windows. It'd still need to be aerodynamic. It'd still probably have at least a brake peddle, so you could feel you were in control and could stop it if something bad was happening.

The steering wheel, however, would almost certainly be gone.
[doublepost=1469729511][/doublepost]

For the better of the market, Apple and Tesla should NOT work together.

That way, Apple HAS to beat Tesla, and Tesla HAS to beat Apple.

That way, we all win.

And no, Apple is not buying anyone or making rebadged anything, there's nothing supporting that.

Further, there's nothing that Apple can bring to the table for Tesla, besides maybe brand awareness. But I think Tesla is managing to build up their own brand and following pretty well. Give them another 2-3 years and I think Tesla might be as big of a name as Apple was a decade ago.

 

[Rogifan]

"Apple's car strategy has shifted towards autonomous driving" Ummm. Autonomous driving should have been the starting point, not a new direction for the project.

This report doesn't make much sense. If Apple is working on a vehicle they'd have to be working on software for it. Seems more like a change in leadership (and an indication that this isn't a hobby) than a change in direction.

 

[nt5672]

I am sorry, but if Apple software is going to drive a car, Apple better seriously step up their software quality. In my mind Apple has become to obsessive with its marketing driving the release timeline to ever make reliable auto software.

 

[peterdevries]

You're steering it wrong.

You are joking wrong...

 

[smacrumon]

For the better of the market, Apple and Tesla should NOT work together.

That way, Apple HAS to beat Tesla, and Tesla HAS to beat Apple.

That way, we all win.

And no, Apple is not buying anyone or making rebadged anything, there's nothing supporting that.

It depends on what you mean by "market". Apple and Tesla have expertise in different areas, but they both complement each other well to be working on a collaborative autonomous car project.

 

[jpn]

if apple ever, ever, ever thought that it could actually build a car, i would finally give in, and agree with those who think that Tim should be fired.

partnering with an automotive group, or, given apple's huge cash pile, purchasing controlling interest in one, would be far less costly, and quicker to market, than trying to figure out an auto manufacturing supply chain.

sheer hubris.

different point: imagine what a million didi chuxing autonomously driven cars powered by apple's carOS in china would look like. wild.

 

[Zirel]

Further, there's nothing that Apple can bring to the table for Tesla, besides maybe brand awareness. But I think Tesla is managing to build up their own brand and following pretty well. Give them another 2-3 years and I think Tesla might be as big of a name as Apple was back in 2005-2007.

Apple has lots of expertise in CNC, batteries and supply chain management.

All important things for electric cars.
[doublepost=1469729831][/doublepost]

It depends on what you mean by "market". Apple and Tesla have expertise in different areas, but they both complement each other well to be working on a collaborative autonomous car project.

Everybody knows the definition of "market"

There's nothing helping the consumers when you have 2 or 3 options and they are the same thing just with different logos. A lot like what happens in the VW group or GM.

 

[Weaselboy]

Apple logo superimposed on a BMW steering wheel.

Juli (@jclo) is trolling us! I'm going to sneak over to her place tonight and put these sweaters on all her cats.

 

[2457282]

Mansfield will lead this Project successfully I believe. Good move by Apple by making him the leader.

I suspect you are right. However this should be a long term concern. We have not seen any new hires working out for Tim. Angela, the BIG hire, has not exactly been a winning move (maybe thing will work out down the road). And Mansfield had all but retired. The leadership team that Steve built is aging and so far I have not seen a next generation coming that is ready to take the lead. This concerns me. Of the old guard we need to see Cue retire sooner rather than later. Of course, I have no insider information so there may be a lot going on behind the curtain (actually I really hope that is the case at this point).

 

[Arran]

Everyone jumping on the "Self-driving car" bandwagon seems to be underestimating the complexity of understanding and handling the infinite unpredictability of the real-world. Particularly since people's lives are at stake in a moving vehicle.

I wouldn't want one.

 

[MrX8503]

I feel like too much is going on with the Apple Car. Apple should be focused on the core functions of a car, which is getting you from point A to B efficiently and relability. Once they have that, then work on autonomous driving.

It kind of reminds me of "smart" home gadgets. Crappy core functions and gimmicky "smart" features.