Apple Hires Self-Driving Car Startup Founder and Former BMW Exec Ulrich Kranz
Former BMW senior executive and self-driving vehicle startup founder Ulrich Kranz has taken on a role at Apple working on the company's autonomous car project, reports Bloomberg.
Kranz founded Canoo, a self-driving car startup that he left earlier this year. Prior to creating Canoo, Kranz helped to develop the i3 and i8 vehicles at BMW, where he was employed for 30 years.
According to Bloomberg, Kranz's hiring is a sign that Apple is determined to build a self-driving vehicle that will rival Tesla. Kranz will report to Apple Car lead Doug Fields, who works under AI chief John Giannandrea.
Rumors about Apple's car project have picked up in recent months as Apple now appears to be looking for suppliers and manufacturing partners to develop the vehicle. There were rumors that Apple would work with Hyundai's Kia division, but it's not clear if that relationship has progressed.
Development on the Apple Car remains in the early stages, and Bloomberg suggests that it will be at around five years before the product is ready to debut.
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Apple VP of technology Kevin Lynch is taking over the Apple Car project and will be replacing Doug Field, who is moving to Ford, reports Bloomberg.
Lynch first joined the Apple Car team in July, with reports suggesting he had been called on to help lead Apple Car development. Now that Field has left the company, Lynch will be taking over his role and will be in charge of the Apple Car. Lynch ...
Apple's fleet of self-driving vehicles roaming the streets of California for testing now includes 69 vehicles and 92 drivers, according to information from the California Department of Motor Vehicles obtained by macReports.
This means that Apple has added one self-driving car and 16 drivers since May this year. Apple has been expanding its autonomous vehicle test since it was granted a permit...
Rumors about Apple's work on an autonomous car have picked up in recent weeks, but the project is still in the early stages and it will be years before an Apple Car launches, according to a new report from Bloomberg.
Sources with knowledge of Apple's product plans told Bloomberg that it will take Apple "at least half a decade" to launch an autonomous electric vehicle.
Apple has a small...
Wednesday September 1, 2021 12:37 pm PDT by
Juli CloverTwo of Apple's self-driving cars operating in manual mode were involved in minor collisions in August, according to the California DMV.
The first incident [PDF] occurred in San Diego, California in the Hillcrest area on August 19. The Lexus RX 450h was stopped in traffic and was hit by a Hyundai. The accident was described as minor with no injuries.
The second accident [PDF] occurred on...
Apple has lost "several" top managers from its internal Apple Car project, codenamed "Project Titan," causing a potential setback to the launch of the self-driving car, according to a new report from Bloomberg.
From the report:
Apple Inc. has lost multiple top managers of its self-driving car team in recent months, a sign of attrition at the division involved in what could become an...
Apple is rumored to be in Asia visiting Toyota as it prepares to lay the supplier groundwork to mass produce a branded car by 2024, according to a new report by DigiTimes.
Apple representatives were said to have met with South Korea's SK Group and LG Electronics last month to discuss Apple Car development, and now Japan's Toyota is being touted as its next potential destination. Apple...
Friday September 3, 2021 9:25 am PDT by
Sami FathiApple has hired two former Mercedes engineers to join the company, likely as part of its effort to continue to build out its internal workforce as the development of an "Apple Car" continues.
The leading new hire previously worked at Mercedes, focusing on mass production of vehicles, vehicle steering, dynamics, and software and project management. The hire, now working as a product design...
Kevin Lynch, who is well known at Apple for overseeing work on the Apple Watch, is set to take on a role leading the development of the Apple Car, reports Business Insider.
Several sources within Apple told Business Insider that Apple has been called on to help lead the Apple Car project, which has undergone several shifts in leadership over the years.
Right now, Apple Car development is...
Apple is in "early-stage talks" with two Chinese companies about the supply of batteries for a future Apple Car, according to a new Reuters report.
Apple is in early-stage talks with China's CATL and BYD about the supply of batteries for its planned electric vehicle, four people with knowledge of the matter said.
The discussions are subject to change and it is not clear if agreements with...
Apple is developing its electric vehicle independently without the assistance of another automaker and is currently selecting final parts suppliers, according to sources said to be familiar with Apple's plans speaking to Korea's Maeil Economic Daily.
In line with a previous report from Reuters, the report explains that the company has had its own automobile hardware research and development...
Top Rated Comments
No Apple Car, YOU DRIVE.