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

[peterdevries]

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.

No. The supply chain for an electric car is far less complex and can be managed more easily with the capital capabilities that Apple has. We hear your argument a lot here, but you and many others fail to realize that electric car companies and combustion engine companies address the same markets but have vastly different business models.

We will see more successful electric car companies emerge, because the entry barrier to produce a competitive car has been lowered in the past 5 years.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Apple is now said to be pursuing a two-prong development approach, working both on a car and the software to power it.

An Apple car requires the software to power it. Aside from CarPlay Apple is not in a million years going to be the autonomous brains behind another manufacturer's vehicle. That would be brand-suicide. That's not how Apple partners. Sounds like a ******** Wall St. leak to the press with the usual goal in mind.

Or at best a confusing of the same information we already know. Apple is working on a car which will have some autonomous driving. How much is irrelevant as this will improve via software until it's 99% autonomous, which is probably 15 years or more out. 90% autonomous happens some years sooner.

 

[BornAgainMac]

Instead of two pedals, one for braking and the other for gas. Apple can do what they did with the mouse and make the pedal do both. Perhaps just a tap once for gas, tap twice for brake. Swipe your foot for a casual smooth ride or use you toes to pinch and zoom when you want to get closer (zoom) to the object in front of you. Force tap (depending on if you force tapped once or twice will give you a more aggressive start or stop).

 

[testcard]

Really hoping for a choice of interior colour schemes to match my Watch bands.

 

[44267547]

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).

Agreed. And I don't care much for Cue and Ahrendts. They can go. She botched the Watch Preorder to the point where it's still frustrating to think about.

 

[ajvizzgamer101]

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

It definitely signals this is a serious project to the caliber of an iPhone or iPad and not like an enhanced CarPlay

 

[FasterQuieter]

I can’t help but feel that Google is the only company capable of cracking the autonomous vehicle problem. The amount of data, machine learning, networking expertise etc. required is unimaginable to me and Apple can’t even get their music and photo services to work reliably.

 

[satchmo]

The steering wheel, however, would almost certainly be gone.

Why um...reinvent the wheel (pun intended), when the current one is still a viable solution?

A steering wheel would come in handy for emergencies (if braking wasn't applied in time).
Also, taking the vehicle 'off-line' would require old school manual steering/driving.

 

[Vanilla35]

So they'll start out with software only and no actual car - and MAYBE develop a full car in the far future. Sounds boring. I'm with Tesla on this one.

 

[Enabledobject]

Why is it still being called "Apples secret car project"?

 

[Rogifan]

I hear people say what does Apple know about building a car. But one could also question what they know about building the type of software to power an semi-autonomous or self-driving vehicle. Why do people think Apple would be better at that? I don't think anyone would call Apple a leader in the cloud computing/machine learning/AI/AR space. I'm not sure what evidence we have that Apple would be more successful building car software than an EV itself.

 

[agsystems]

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.

Really...unless is Apple outsourcing everything: Manufacturing, sales, financing, service recalls, etc.

A few recalls could get insanely expensive and you can't drop support for cars like you do with phones.

 

[KazKam]

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.

I couldn't agree more. I'd also add that while some self-driving/assisted-driving vehicles may appear in the "real world" in the next several years, we haven't even begun to fathom the complexity and problems inherent in a mixed self/assisted/manual-driving environment. It's going to be a bloody mess (pun intended).

 

[jerryk]

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.

I want one and plan on ordering the Autopilot option in my Tesla. I have blind spot detection and lane keeping in my current car. Very useful in dealing with people that cut in an out of lanes trying to get somewhere 2% faster.

And if they have a gun or missile option I will get that to, for dealing with people texting while driving.

 

[twolf2919]

Of course (and as another poster already pointed out), there wasn't any evidence that Apple ever was on a full car in the first place! I've argued, ever since the rumor started, that Apple would never enter the low-margin business of car manufacturing (electric or otherwise) for the simple reason that there's not enough profit in it for a company of Apple's size.

More importantly, it makes no sense given that Apple has gone through so much trouble getting car manufacturers to agree to integrate CarPlay into their cars. How quickly, do you suppose, those manufacturers would yank CarPlay out of their cars should Apple become a competitor???

It is *by far* more lucrative for Apple to develop a "self driving car" option to CarPlay. Car manufacturers all over the world would lap it up as it would mean they wouldn't have to develop such complex software themselves. And - since this is software - the profit margin on each sale is probably north of 70%.

I think that has always been Apple's plan.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

If Bob doesn't voice the navigation system, it's a deal-breaker.

Although I'd be intrigued by what Ive has to offer...

"You know, it's true that as you approach the next roundabout, there are several, clearly defined options that are set up entirely for your convenience. We scrutinised every aspect of the first-left, to ensure that - as you progress through your journey - you may benefit from the least amount of travel time. This is in stark contrast to the second exit, which h..."

 

[TechGeek76]

You are joking wrong...

You're getting offended wrong

 

[kyleh22]

Should apple buy Tesla? Is Tesla buying Space X and Solar City to make a hostile takeover look less attractive to Apple? Thoughts anyone?

 

[peterdevries]

Really...unless is Apple outsourcing everything: Manufacturing, sales, financing, service recalls, etc.

A few recalls could get insanely expensive and you can't drop support for cars like you do with phones.

So, how do Tesla or Fisker do it? Both companies with far less capital than Apple?

 

[IJ Reilly]

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.

If you mean too much idle rumor-mill speculation, I'd agree. Because what Apple is really doing with automotive tech nobody really knows.

 

[avanpelt]

Why in the hell would they get into autonomous driving?! That will put an even larger target for litigation on their back than they already have! I'm sure attorneys and insurance companies would have a field day going after Apple whenever there's an inevitable "glitch" with the autonomous driving system. This just seems like potentially risky behavior on the part of a company with a boatload of cash that many people would love to get their hands on.

 

[IJ Reilly]

No. The supply chain for an electric car is far less complex and can be managed more easily with the capital capabilities that Apple has. We hear your argument a lot here, but you and many others fail to realize that electric car companies and combustion engine companies address the same markets but have vastly different business models.

We will see more successful electric car companies emerge, because the entry barrier to produce a competitive car has been lowered in the past 5 years.

Vastly different? Really? You mean they don't have to be manufactured, sold, and serviced? They don't need hydraulic, suspension, steering, safety, and electrical systems?

Please tell me more about these vast differences.
[doublepost=1469732014][/doublepost]

So, how do Tesla or Fisker do it? Both companies with far less capital than Apple?

By losing vast amounts of money.

 

[nofear1az]

Why um...reinvent the wheel (pun intended), when the current one is still a viable solution?

A steering wheel would come in handy for emergencies (if braking wasn't applied in time).
Also, taking the vehicle 'off-line' would require old school manual steering/driving.

Serious much?!

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Why um...reinvent the wheel (pun intended), when the current one is still a viable solution?

A steering wheel would come in handy for emergencies (if braking wasn't applied in time).
Also, taking the vehicle 'off-line' would require old school manual steering/driving.

A properly autonomous car can have anyone in any seat, regardless of driving experience or knowledge.

Having a steering wheel in an autonomous car would be like giving passengers a direct way of controlling a plane from their seat.

For the same reason, I'm not so sure that manual brakes will be in the car... maybe some kind of emergency brake, but probably not anything like a normal brake pedal.

 

[Dilster3k]

It's clear what is happening here, they have clearly no idea what they are doing. You know which one of their products lack identity as well? The Apple TV, Watch & CarPlay... which are completely not Apple-like. The lack of focus will be the very downfall yet again, without that laser focus and understanding of the product. The iPhone at the time was created to fix a problem in the market, yet the Apple TV was supposed to be this revolutionary device with that same purpose with all the rumors leading up to it... And it's far from it.

Tim Cook is really trying to just make something new for the sake of it, and is willing to release something lackluster just in order to do so. There's a reason why reception in these forums have been awfully negative throughout these last few years, there's a reason why we are all so deeply concerned, and these rumors just add salt to the painful wound.