Elon Musk Says Apple's Electric Car Project is an 'Open Secret'

[MacRumors]

In an interview with the BBC, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said it is an "open secret" that Apple is developing an electric car. Musk made the statement when asked if he had heard anything about Apple's car development plans and went on to highlight the huge number of hires Apple has made as evidence.

"Well, it's pretty hard to hide something if you hire over a thousand engineers to do it," he said, before adding that he believed Apple was serious about the project. "This is an open secret."

Musk went on to say Tesla welcomes participation by any company that wants to create electric vehicles, but he cautioned that it's "quite hard to do." He brushed off the interviewer's question of whether an Apple car would be a threat to Tesla, and said that he believes Apple will develop a "compelling" electric car because "it seems like the obvious thing to do."

"Tesla will still aspire to make the most compelling electric vehicles, and that would be our goal, while at the same helping other companies to make electric cars as well."

Musk is aware of Apple's hiring efforts because Apple has made an effort to hire former Tesla employees for its car project. The two companies have developed something of a rivalry as they compete for talent, leading Musk to take a jab at Apple in an October interview, saying "If you don't make it at Tesla, you go work at Apple," a statement he later retracted.

The first rumors surrounding Apple's car project, allegedly codenamed "Project Titan," surfaced in early 2015. Since then, Apple has recruited dozens of engineers and researchers from the automotive industry and other car-related fields, poaching employees from companies like Tesla, Ford, GM, Chrysler, Volkswagen, Samsung, and more.


Over the past few months, there's been a growing body of evidence pointing towards work on a car. Apple sought out a secure testing facility for testing electric vehicles in May of 2015, and met with DMV officials to discuss the laws and regulations surrounding self-driving vehicles in California in September. Most recently, Apple registered three auto-related top-level domain names, including apple.car, apple.cars, and apple.auto.

Little is known about Apple's car project, but the company is rumored to be working on an electric vehicle. Rumors have disagreed on the topic of autonomy, but the most recent information suggests that while Apple is exploring self-driving technology, it is a feature that may come in a later version of the Apple Car.

Article Link: Elon Musk Says Apple's Electric Car Project is an 'Open Secret'

 

[iLoveiTunes]

He resembles a certain someone when it comes to attitude

from another article on web :

Blue Origin (Amazon owned) is a competitor of Musk’s other company, Space X. But when the BBC asked about the rivalry between the two companies, Musk answered: “Jeff who?”

 

[iPhone.Freak]

If only Apple and Tesla worked on a car together...

That would be something great.

 

[japanime]

Apple is doubling down on open secrets.

 

[Service Droid]

while Apple is exploring self-driving technology, it is a feature that may come in a later version of the Apple Car.

So in other words, don't buy first Gen Apple Car. For some reason I find this hilarious. I won't buy a first Gen Apple product ever again since I was burned on the iPad.

 

[freepomme]

There's no getting around it. It's just going to have to have Windows!

 

[jayducharme]

He also predicted vehicles that could not drive themselves would become a "strange anachronism" before too long.

I think he'll be proven correct. Just as when Apple developed the iPhone, the general consensus was that smartphones were a niche market. Now they're ubiquitous. With so many accidents on the road, self-driving cars could provide a much greater margin of safety.

Tesla will still aspire to make the most compelling electric vehicles, and that would be our goal, while at the same helping other companies to make electric cars as well.

Hmmm ... I wonder if he includes Apple in the list of "other companies"....

 

[MH01]

Looking forward to seeing this car, hopefully it will be "affordable" though even for the most die hard fans who can afford apple products, may never be able to afford this one.

 

[RDeckard]

So in other words, don't buy first Gen Apple Car. For some reason I find this hilarious. I won't buy a first Gen Apple product ever again since I was burned on the iPad.

What happened? Did you miss your Windows Tablet PC?

 

[MacVault]

eHang 184 is really what the Apple Car should be!

 

[Fenez]

Electric cars are still not selling as well as expected and won't even make a dent in the market for many years to come.

 

[Zirel]

Looking forward to seeing this car, hopefully it will be "affordable" though even for the most die hard fans who can afford apple products, may never be able to afford this one.

If Apple makes a $50K car, competitors will make a $40K car, to call the Apple's car "expensive".

If Apple makes a $30K car, competitors will make a $20K car, to call the Apple's car "expensive".

If Apple makes a $30K car, competitors will make a $20K car, to call the Apple's car "expensive".

If Apple makes a $10K car, competitors will make a $5K car, to call the Apple's car "expensive".

All competitors will use Google's self-driving systems, that will bomb you with Ads, and will "suggest" you to go to destinations that advertise with Google, and use auto-insurance that will "partner with Google".

 

[iapplelove]

Electric cars are still not selling as well as expected and won't even make a dent in the market for many years to come.

They sure won't sell if gas prices stay the way they are. Although we should have moved away from petroleum years ago and moved on to different cleaner forms of energy.

But that will never happen, not on this planet and with the people in charge $$$

 

[BiscottiGelato]

He resembles a certain someone when it comes to attitude

from another article on web :

Blue Origin (Amazon owned) is a competitor of Musk’s other company, Space X. But when the BBC asked about the rivalry between the two companies, Musk answered: “Jeff who?”

Yes. That's Steve Jobs.

 

[gimikinc]

Musk is so arrogant, but guess at that level of accomplishment it is a common trait.

 

[jayducharme]

Electric cars are still not selling as well as expected and won't even make a dent in the market for many years to come.

I'm leasing one (the Smart EV) and really like it. Its limited range (especially in winter) is the big drawback, along with the obviously long re-charge times. But it drives beautifully, has amazing acceleration and is really stable. Recharging the car hasn't impacted my electric bill very much. It's been a great economical vehicle for simply getting back and forth to work.

 

[Fenez]

They sure won't sell if gas prices stay the way they are. Although we should have moved away from petroleum years ago and moved on to different cleaner forms of energy.

But that will never happen, not on this planet and with the people in charge $$$

If for some reason people started to run out and buy electric cars all of the sudden, the price of gas would fall even lower which would push people towards gas engines anyway.. Tesla can't even turn a profit with them.

 

[iapplelove]

If for some reason people started to run out and buy electric cars all of the sudden, the price of gas would fall even lower which would push people towards gas engines anyway.. Tesla can't even turn a profit with them.

We kind of put ourselves in a problem. We need to move on from oil, but moving on will probably crash the worlds economy. Not sure what the best option is, I'm no tree hugger but anyone can see what it's doing to the planet negatively.

 

[mamaway]

Also obvious because part of Apple's success is taking some existing computer technology and making it work really well. Besides, they need something to do with that mountain of cash they have. Investors are going to get the bulk of that $200B back, but some of it must be going to Apple's next big thing.

 

[S-A]

Elon is the visionary that Apple sorely lacks to bring this project to life... You can't just go to Foxconn and tell them to assemble you a car by following this blueprint. As an Apple shareholder, I wish they would focus their efforts elsewhere.

 

[BugHunter]

I'm pretty sure Musk wants competition.
Tesla is going to be the premium electric car brand for the foreseeable future. If they get a lot of other companies releasing electric cars, that would increase the demand for charge stations and influence public perception that electric cars are practical.
Basically increasing the overall demand by a large amount, and lose sales to the new competitors by a small amount = net win.

 

[Fenez]

I'm leasing one (the Smart EV) and really like it. Its limited range (especially in winter) is the big drawback, along with the obviously long re-charge times. But it drives beautifully, has amazing acceleration and is really stable. Recharging the car hasn't impacted my electric bill very much. It's been a great economical vehicle for simply getting back and forth to work.

I'm sure they are great....but a lot of people after having one go right back to gas engines...

 

[DevNull0]

Adapted from an old joke, but frighteningly possible:

Features of the Apple Car:
1. Every time they repaint the lines on the road, you have to buy a new Apple car.
2. Every year, you'll have to replace the Engine with a new version. This will be free, but the handling will become less responsive. The only way to fix this will be to buy a new car.
3. It will be the narrowest car ever made. There will only be room for a driver, but for some reason people will say this is better than the old clunky fat cars from over 100 years ago. Besides, everyone loves driving, why would you want a passenger?
4. Because it's so narrow, there won't be room for a steering wheel. But the car will come with an iTouch that links to the car via bluetooth to let you steer using touch screen controls.
5. There will only be one pedal. You press it with your right foot to accelerate and left foot to brake.
6. Headlights will not be user replaceable. When the headlights burn out, you have to buy a new car.
7. The oil, engine, gas and alternator warning lights would be replaced with a single "General Car Fault" warning light.
8. People will get excited about the "new" features in the Apple Cars, forgetting completely that they have been available in other cars for many years.
9. The Apple car will only work with Apple fuel. It will be much more expensive, less efficient, and more polluting than gasoline, but Apple will tell us how great it is for the environment anyway.
10. The airbag system would say "Are you sure?" before going off and start a 60 second countdown.
11. They won't build their own engines, but buy them from their most hated competitors who they're constantly involved in court battles with.
12. The latest engine will have 32 cylinders, and multi-point fuel injectors. But the fuel pump will be so under-powered that the car stalls several times a day.
13. They will replace the liquid cooling system with an air cooling system. If you ever take the car up to highway speeds, you'll have to stop for 5 minutes every half hour, but the car sure will run quiet.
14. You will only be able to listen to music on Apple Music. Playing any other audio in the car will void the warranty.
15. All roads will have to become toll roads with 30% of the tolls going to Apple. If any states refuse to charge these tolls, your car won't drive on them.
16. If you don't upgrade to the latest version every year, people will make fun of you even though your car drives faster
17. The car will only be able to drive in the right lane. The ability to switch to other lanes will require an ICP (in car purchase) and you'll have to spend 5 TimGolds every time you change lanes.
18. Using the windshield wipers will be 10 TimGolds.
19. Instead of being made of steel, the car will be made out of paper thin aluminum. Crashes will not be survivable but every will applaud when Apple makes he car 3mm narrower.

 

[dwaltwhit]

I'm not particularly a musk fan but I would not expect him to say, "The Apple Car will be far superior to tesla." Competition drives innovation and for this industry must have it to grow.

 

[Iconoclysm]

Elon is the visionary that Apple sorely lacks to bring this project to life... You can't just go to Foxconn and tell them to assemble you a car by following this blueprint. As an Apple shareholder, I wish they would focus their efforts elsewhere.

Apple has never just gone to Foxconn and told them to assemble anything, ever. They provided Foxconn with new equipment, facilities, fabrication methods, etc for virtually every new product.