Quanta Reportedly Supplying Apple With 'Autonomous Driving Solutions'

[MacRumors]

While the status of Apple's electric vehicle plans are unclear at this point, hit-or-miss DigiTimes reports that Taiwanese manufacturer Quanta Computer is currently supplying Apple with unspecified "autonomous driving solutions."

Tesla Autopilot illustration​

An excerpt from the paywalled report, emphasis ours:

With the test of its autonomous vehicle, Quanta is now able to prove its ability in designing an autonomous driving platform, which is expected to assist the company to obtain more partnerships, said the sources, adding that Quanta is currently one of the suppliers of Google's and Apple's autonomous driving solutions.

Quanta recently confirmed that it has developed and tested its first autonomous vehicle on closed tracks in the United States, according to the report, allowing it to "prove its ability in designing an autonomous driving platform." Quanta did not reveal details of the vehicle or the tests.

While noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has predicted that a so-called "Apple Car" could launch by 2025, in line with various reports claiming that Apple has been developing an electric vehicle, other reports have suggested that Apple has been focused solely on underlying autonomous technologies and systems.

Quanta is best known as the primary assembler of the Apple Watch since 2015, but a separate DigiTimes report claimed that the company may stop assembling the Apple Watch in 2020 due to "profit concerns."

Article Link: Quanta Reportedly Supplying Apple With 'Autonomous Driving Solutions'

 

[Baymowe335]

The future will be exciting.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

Aaah, I love the Tesla! Just that once it runs out of battery, you are stuck.
A hybrid car is a better solution, specially one that works like a Prius.

 

[44267547]

Aaah, I love the Tesla! Just that once it runs out of battery, you are stuck.

I think that applies just to about anything that has a battery. 😁 But I don’t know anyone with a Tesla ‘that’s run out of battery’ where they’ve been stuck. It’s like anything, you monitor your battery usage where that doesn’t happen, not to Mention, fast charging stations are expanding all the time.

 

[farewelwilliams]

Digitimes rumor? pass. Let’s move on, folks. The only rumors they got right are the obvious ones.
[automerge]1571414910[/automerge]

Aaah, I love the Tesla! Just that once it runs out of battery, you are stuck.
A hybrid car is a better solution, specially one that works like a Prius.

My Tesla drives far better than a hybrid. Never need to worry about gas for the daily commute as I always start the day with a full battery. Never need to spend 5-10 minutes a week getting gas, only takes 5 seconds to plug in everyday.

 

[cknibbs]

Aaah, I love the Tesla! Just that once it runs out of battery, you are stuck.
A hybrid car is a better solution, specially one that works like a Prius.

How is that different than... “once I run out of gas I am stuck?”

If you can handle managing a fuel gauge or a cell phone battery you should be fine managing a EV.

 

[RogerWilco]

Is the AAPL share price lagging again? Time for the TV/Car rumors!

 

[Adoniram]

Digitimes rumor? pass. Let’s move on, folks. The only rumors they got right are the obvious ones.
[automerge]1571414910[/automerge]

My Tesla drives far better than a hybrid. Never need to worry about gas for the daily commute as I always start the day with a full battery. Never need to spend 5-10 minutes a week getting gas, only takes 5 seconds to plug in everyday.

The only thing holding EVs back are the long charge times during long road trips (and the public's general fear of losing charge, unfounded as it is 98% of the time). I'll give a few examples from my personal lifestyle where a Tesla S or X would fail to perform (or any other pure EV):

• Driving to/from Breckenridge for skiing: I skied 15 days last winter, 105 miles each way over two high-altitude mountain passes. Little to no EV parking spots in town. 210 miles round-trip over mountain passes would be likely below the base Model X range. Model S would be very unwise as roads are often covered with (sometimes deep) snow.
• Camping: I take my 4Runner deep into the mountains on 4WD roads. Even if the Model X was capable of off-roading like my 4Runner, I typically drive 120+ miles to the start of the 4WD road. This again puts the base Model X beyond its abilities, especially when considering steep, difficult terrain and mountain passes.
• Road trips to national parks like Mesa Verde, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, etc. All outside of a full charge, all requiring long stops at super charging stations (esp compared to a gas station).
• Price: My 4Runner was $37k new with ~10" of clearance. It gets a crappy 19 mpg average, but that's $44k less than a base Model X. If I wanted the extended range of the 100D, we're talking a difference of $62k. I could nearly buy a 4Runner and TWO Model 3's for the price of one Model X 100D.

 

[philipk]

Aaah, I love the Tesla! Just that once it runs out of battery, you are stuck.
A hybrid car is a better solution, specially one that works like a Prius.

Let's see the difference.

Electric
No transmission
No valves, camshaft, crankshaft, oil pressure, and many more ICE parts
Add battery and long lasting electric motor.

Hybrid
All the parts of an ICE car
Add battery and long lasting electric motor
Add mechanical interlink parts

No comparison!

 

[fdanna]

I hope the quality of their autonomous driving equipment is better than their servers! They suck.

 

[philipk]

The only thing holding EVs back are the long charge times during long road trips (and the public's general fear of losing charge, unfounded as it is 98% of the time). I'll give a few examples from my personal lifestyle where a Tesla S or X would fail to perform (or any other pure EV):

• Driving to/from Breckenridge for skiing: I skied 15 days last winter, 105 miles each way over two high-altitude mountain passes. Little to no EV parking spots in town. 210 miles round-trip over mountain passes would be likely below the base Model X range. Model S would be very unwise as roads are often covered with (sometimes deep) snow.
• Camping: I take my 4Runner deep into the mountains on 4WD roads. Even if the Model X was capable of off-roading like my 4Runner, I typically drive 120+ miles to the start of the 4WD road. This again puts the base Model X beyond its abilities, especially when considering steep, difficult terrain and mountain passes.
• Road trips to national parks like Mesa Verde, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, etc. All outside of a full charge, all requiring long stops at super charging stations (esp compared to a gas station).
• Price: My 4Runner was $37k new with ~10" of clearance. It gets a crappy 19 mpg average, but that's $44k less than a base Model X. If I wanted the extended range of the 100D, we're talking a difference of $62k. I could nearly buy a 4Runner and TWO Model 3's for the price of one Model X 100D.

This is a well written post. You are correct for yourself. That is why every case is different.

When I bought my EV, I realized there was one place from my past travels I couldn't go due to the lack of charging options. I had to be careful with my old ICE car. However, I have only been there twice in the last ten years. I didn't mind giving it up.

 

[iapplelove]

I’m pretty sick of Apple joining the auto industry. Stick to car play.

 

[gleepskip]

In the spirit of the rest of Apple products, the wheel wells on the iCar will be sealed. If you want new tires, you'll need to replace the entire car.

 

[imran5720]

WHatever, autonomous just cannot work with human drivers

 

[BuddyTronic]

Aaah, I love the Tesla! Just that once it runs out of battery, you are stuck.
A hybrid car is a better solution, specially one that works like a Prius.

I like them too. My problem with Prius is what do I do when I’m out of battery and then also run out of gasoline? I’m stuck! It’s a serious design flaw.

 

[StevieD100]

Aaah, I love the Tesla! Just that once it runs out of battery, you are stuck.
A hybrid car is a better solution, specially one that works like a Prius.

and your hybrid can never run out of petrol then?
Of course it can.

My EV (not a Tesla) does over 220 miles on a charge. I just plan my long trips a little better than before.
But most of the time it is charged at home. Can you make petrol/gas at home for your Prius?

 

[newyorksole]

Lmaoooo THE SHADE! “Hit or miss DigiTimes” hahah.

 

[BuddyTronic]

WHatever, autonomous just cannot work with human drivers

I saw a pickup Truck blocking a waymo from taking a freeway exit, apparently just to be mean - or maybe they were testing use cases. Waymo was signaling and trying hard to speed up and slow down to change lanes and the prick in the truck was blocking the Waymo.

 

[Eauboy]

The only thing holding EVs back are the long charge times during long road trips (and the public's general fear of losing charge, unfounded as it is 98% of the time). I'll give a few examples from my personal lifestyle where a Tesla S or X would fail to perform (or any other pure EV):

• Driving to/from Breckenridge for skiing: I skied 15 days last winter, 105 miles each way over two high-altitude mountain passes. Little to no EV parking spots in town. 210 miles round-trip over mountain passes would be likely below the base Model X range. Model S would be very unwise as roads are often covered with (sometimes deep) snow.
• Camping: I take my 4Runner deep into the mountains on 4WD roads. Even if the Model X was capable of off-roading like my 4Runner, I typically drive 120+ miles to the start of the 4WD road. This again puts the base Model X beyond its abilities, especially when considering steep, difficult terrain and mountain passes.
• Road trips to national parks like Mesa Verde, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, etc. All outside of a full charge, all requiring long stops at super charging stations (esp compared to a gas station).
• Price: My 4Runner was $37k new with ~10" of clearance. It gets a crappy 19 mpg average, but that's $44k less than a base Model X. If I wanted the extended range of the 100D, we're talking a difference of $62k. I could nearly buy a 4Runner and TWO Model 3's for the price of one Model X 100D.

You actually live the lifestyle that SUV manufacturers want you to fantasize about when you see one of their ads!

For the vast majority of people the limitations of an EV rarely if ever need to come into play. For example, I have a short commute to work and could 'forget' to plug-in an EV for a couple of weeks without risk. But, like you, I do want to have ability to take longer road trips to visit family and don't want to have to worry about planning my route around charging.

 

[coolbreeze2]

Autonomous car industry is scary. How will the manufacturers of such cars escape liability when the cars causes death? I'm not saying the industry shouldn't be developed, but I'm curious to know how Apple plans to avoid paying billions in lawsuits when the cars causes death. Or do they think the cars will be perfect?

 

[macfacts]

Aaah, I love the Tesla! Just that once it runs out of battery, you are stuck.
A hybrid car is a better solution, specially one that works like a Prius.

A self driving car doesn't mean all electric.

 

[Sasparilla]

It'll be really interesting to see whether this pans out or not. By 2025 the cost of batteries should have fallen enough to allow Camry and Accord priced EV cars for 250 to 300 mile range (currently we're really at lower end BMW and Mercedes prices here in the U.S.).

So it'll be a tough market for Apple to jump into with their expected margins (Tesla doesn't have big margins in comparison).

 

[philipk]

It'll be really interesting to see whether this pans out or not. By 2025 the cost of batteries should have fallen enough to allow Camry and Accord priced EV cars for 250 to 300 mile range (currently we're really at lower end BMW and Mercedes prices here in the U.S.).

So it'll be a tough market for Apple to jump into with their expected margins (Tesla doesn't have big margins in comparison).

Actually, the top end Camry is only 10% less in price than the 250 mi range Tesla Model 3.

However, it needs to be nearer the price of the Camry most people buy which is currently $10,000 less.

I think an extra $2,000 would be perfect when you factor in the savings in fuel/energy.

It cost my wife $2.50 a week to commute to work in her Model 3. Her RAV 4 use to cost $12.00 a week in gas.

 

[samcheezay]

Aaah, I love the Tesla! Just that once it runs out of battery, you are stuck.
A hybrid car is a better solution, specially one that works like a Prius.

A hybrid is not a better solution. I have a Tesla Model 3 and never do I purposely drive without knowing that I can't make it to the next destination. Plus there's superchargers and other chargers all over you can go to get charged.

 

[69Mustang]

Quanta may be supplying certain components for autonomous driving solutions, but I seriously doubt they are supplying full solutions for either company. That makes no sense at all.