Apple Leak Claims Autonomous Car With No Steering Wheel Could Hit Roads By 2025
Image via Vividrange / Shutterstock.com
Speculation on Apple’s future car has been rife for years, with recent rumors emerging that the vehicle could be keyless, making use of a digital key concept instead of actual car keys.
New claims from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, a well-known Apple insider, has posited that the company plans to develop a fully-autonomous electric car—dubbed ‘Project Titan’—which could launch in four years, sometime in 2025.
However, “people familiar with the matter” said that the vehicle’s launch date would depend on if the company can successfully rig out the car with full self-driving capabilities. At the moment, it’s uncertain if Apple will postpone its launch or move forward with a partially-autonomous model if it fails to reach its goal.
The technology giant’s debut vehicle will reportedly do without pedals and a steering wheel, and could possibly use the space within the car for passengers to do more during a commute—such as work or play—as they won’t be preoccupied with driving.
In addition, as per SlashGear, Apple may include an infotainment system akin to Tesla’s, in which passengers could make use of a large touch screen to access the brand’s services and apps while on the go.
It seems that the firm may have finalized the key aspects of its car processor, with sources claiming it will test the chip on existing vehicles. This chip, much like those in Apple’s other devices, will power the artificial intelligence components needed in an autonomous car.
Naturally, as with most self-driving cars, Apple will work on a whole slew of safety measures for its vehicle. This may include an emergency mode which would allow drivers to take over control of the car. Bloomberg’s report stated that the company will hire engineers to develop and test more safety features as the project moves along.
As with all other rumors we’ve heard about Apple’s exclusive electric vehicle, there’s no guarantee any of these claims will come to pass. Plans could change in a blink of an eye, and chances are, we won’t catch a glimpse of the actual vehicle for many years to come.
[via SlashGear and Bloomberg, cover image via Vividrange / Shutterstock.com]
