Apple is operating a secret vehicle research and development lab in the heart of Berlin, claims a report published in a German news outlet this morning.
According to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (also known as F.A.Z.), Apple's clandestine facility employs between 15 and 20 "top class" men and women from the German automotive industry, with backgrounds in engineering, software, hardware, and sales.
The workers at the car lab are described as "progressive thinkers" in their respective fields who agreed to work with Apple after their ideas for innovation were stifled by the more conservative outlooks of their previous employers.
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The article goes on to repeat previous speculation surrounding Apple's rumored vehicle research, noting that the company's first car will be electric, but also ventures to claim that it will lack self-driving capabilities because the required technology is still in development.
Additionally, the report alleges that Apple is investigating a vehicle-sharing model similar to BMW's Drive-Now and European car rental service Sixt, owing to the company's lack of a nationwide distribution network. Similar to previous rumors, Austrian contract manufacturer of high-end cars Magna Steyr is also cited as a partner for vehicle creation once the R&D stage is complete.
Apple Car rumors have gained momentum since early 2015, when The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple has hundreds of employees working to develop an electric vehicle under the codename "Project Titan." The bulk of research and development is thought to be taking place in an Apple-leased Sunnyvale campus in California, where loud "motor noises" were heard, sparking speculation that the building is a secret car testing facility for Apple's automotive project.
Tim Cook teased about the possibility of an Apple Car in February by saying "it's going to be Christmas Eve for a while," suggesting the much-rumored project will not be publicly revealed for some time.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)I wonder if Steve ever sparked any discussions about an Apple Car when he was alive.
As opposed to him sparking any discussion when he was dead? :DWho'd buy one? When I buy a car, it's not based on tree hugging crap like economy, efficiency and how green it is, which is what Apple's effort will be.
Cool story bro.When I buy a car it's based on (but not limited to) the following:
The history of the brand
Power
Speed
Sound
How much fun I am going to have driving it
Glad you are a dying breed.
#team'murica
Apple's phone: $100 production cost in China, they sell millions = $600 for the buyer
Who'd buy one? When I buy a car, it's not based on tree hugging crap like economy, efficiency and how green it is, which is what Apple's effort will be.Apple's car won't be cheap.
When I buy a car it's based on (but not limited to) the following:
The history of the brand
Power
Speed
Sound
How much fun I am going to have driving it