Report: Apple Developing Apple Car Autopilot Function With South Korean Partner

Apple has developed the chip modules and packages for the autopilot functions of its rumored Apple Car with the help of an outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) company based in South Korea, claims a new report today.

vanarama apple car concept

Apple Car concept by Vanarama based on patents filed by Apple

OSAT is a service that suppliers often provide to partners that involves semiconductor assembly, packaging and testing of integrated circuits. According to TheElec, the project started last year and is expected to be completed in 2023.

The South Korean OSAT firm was working on the module for a chip that operates the autopilot function, much like those used by Tesla, sources said.

Such chips, which oversee AI computations, usually integrate a neural processing unit, CPU, GPU, memory as well as camera interface among other functions.

The project is said to be led by Apple's regional offices in South Korea. According to the report, Apple's offices received the bill of material (BOM) rights for the project and chose the South Korean OSAT firm to fulfill the order.

TheElec links the move with Foxconn's construction of all-electric vehicle plants in the U.S. and Thailand, which the report claims will provide the assembly line for Apple Car. Foxconn says it aims to have the plants operational by 2023, but the suggestion that they will be used by Apple to mass produce its autonomous vehicle has not been corroborated.

Apple has reportedly been in the process of selecting suppliers for its long-rumored electric vehicle since December last year, when Apple representatives are said to have visited South Korea to meet with local suppliers, following a preliminary visit in the summer of 2021.

Apple's interest in Korean manufacturers has purportedly led to a heated battle to secure a place in Apple's supply chain, with Apple particularly interested in Korea's battery manufacturing capabilities.

According to previous reports, Apple is expected to complete the selection of suppliers for its vehicle by the end of this year, after which it will start full-scale development and mass production within the next two to three years.

Reuters believes Apple is aiming to begin production on a car in 2024, but Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes it will be 2025 to 2027 at the earliest before an Apple Car is ready for launch. Kuo said he would not be surprised to see the launch schedule extended to 2028 or later.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, work on the Apple Car is in the early stages, but Apple is aiming for a 2025 launch.

Popular Stories

apple watch ultra 2 new black

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Finally Coming After Two-Year Hiatus

Monday June 16, 2025 8:45 am PDT by
Apple will finally deliver the Apple Watch Ultra 3 sometime this year, according to analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities Hong Kong (via @jukanlosreve). The analyst expects both the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 to arrive this year (likely alongside the new iPhone 17 lineup, if previous launches are anything to go by), according to his latest product roadmap shared with...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in Three Months With These 12 New Features

Saturday June 14, 2025 5:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of June 2025:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14 Pro have a...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

iPhone Driver's Licenses: These 17 U.S. States Offer Them or Will Later

Thursday June 19, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states and Puerto...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.6 Public Beta

Wednesday June 18, 2025 10:24 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to public beta testers, with the betas coming just a few days after Apple provided the betas to developers. Testers who have signed up for beta updates through Apple's beta site can download iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update. When the...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

Apple Says iOS 26 Won't Be Available on These iPhone Models

Tuesday June 10, 2025 6:58 am PDT by
Apple this week revealed that iOS 26 is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer. That means that iOS 18 is the end of the road for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, which were all released in 2018. However, those devices will continue to receive security updates for at least a few more years. iOS 26 is compatible with the following iPhone models: iPhone 16e iPhone...
new iphone lockscreen ios 26

iOS 26: Five Changes Coming to Your iPhone Lock Screen

Tuesday June 17, 2025 8:46 am PDT by
With iOS 26, Apple has made some additions to the iPhone Lock Screen that aim to make it more customizable than ever. Of course, things can always change before the software makes its way to the general iPhone-owning public, but here are five new things iOS 26 can do on the Lock Screen as of the current developer beta. Widgets Top or Bottom In iOS 18, the row of widgets on your Lock...
apple watch ultra snow

6 Features Coming to the Apple Watch Ultra 3

Tuesday February 25, 2025 9:00 am PST by
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is expected to launch later this year, arriving two years after the previous model with a series of improvements. While no noticeable design changes are expected for the third generation since the company tends to stick with the same Apple Watch design through three generations before changing it, there are a series of internal upgrades on the way. By the time the ...
Craig Federighi No

John Gruber Reacts to Apple Declining His Interview After His Criticism

Wednesday June 18, 2025 8:10 pm PDT by
Every year between 2015 and 2024, at least one Apple executive agreed to be interviewed by Daring Fireball's John Gruber for a special WWDC episode of his podcast, The Talk Show. Last year, for example, Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi, marketing chief Greg Joswiak, and top AI researcher John Giannandrea joined Gruber on stage at the California Theatre in San Jose to discuss...
iOS 26 Hold Assist

Google Says iOS 26 Copies Three Android Features

Tuesday June 17, 2025 7:20 am PDT by
In a new ad, Google says iOS 26 copies three Android features that have been available on Pixel phones for years: Live Translate, Hold Assist, and Call Screening. The video, part of the ongoing #BestPhonesForever series, shows an iPhone and a Pixel 9 Pro talking to each other on a fictional podcast. "I announced live translation for text messages," the iPhone says. "And it turned out...

Top Rated Comments

skippermonkey Avatar
43 months ago
I wish you'd stop using pictures of that 1960's Amphicar…
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Leon Ze Professional Avatar
43 months ago
I'm sorry, but all these concept car images of the Apple car are simply ghastly!
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ghanwani Avatar
43 months ago

I'm sorry, but all these concept car images of the Apple car are simply ghastly!
Wait until you see the real thing complete with notch and all.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
neilw Avatar
43 months ago
PLEASE STOP USING THAT CONCEPT RENDER. IT IS HIDEOUS.

That is all.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
44267547 Avatar
43 months ago

Once autopilot tech becomes good enough, why would anyone want an Apple Car
Well considering, no one here knows what the Apple car possibilities offer, what reason wouldn’t somebody not want an Apple Car?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wildkraut Avatar
43 months ago

I would buy a electric car as long it can do this concept.

Removable battery pack - go to Station (like petrol station) remove the battery from the car like a long cubic shape and put them into the charging dock, pay for the fresh battery and install back to the car and drive off (all done in between 2-5 mins).

Just pay for the battery performance as low/medium/long mileages - that figure should include AC heater/cooling.
Apple and removable battery? ?
They will probably offer a iCarCare for $20k or monthly $500, and that’s it.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)