Apple Car

Despite previously stating that talks were off, a car partnership between Apple, Hyundai, and its affiliate Kia could yet happen. Reuters picked up on reports coming out of South Korea.

Online site Chosun Biz said on Friday that Apple and Kia had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) last year and had agreed to pursue cooperation in eight sectors, including electric vehicles. It said negotiations on electric vehicles had not been completely cancelled. “Even if the negotiations on electric vehicles fail, there are many items that can be negotiated in other fields, so we are still optimistic about the possibility of partnership between the two sides,” Chosun cited an unnamed source familiar with negotiations between Hyundai and Apple as saying. Aside from electric vehicles, Kia and Apple are also discussing cooperation in “last mile” mobility, or transport to complete a final short distance to a destination after using another means of transportation, Chosun said

Talk about a potential Apple Car continues apace. One of the key questions is who will be the partner that actually makes the vehicle – Hyundai and Kia said recently that talks with them are not happening. Bloomberg News has a good rundown of the potential candidates.

The secret project has gained momentum in recent months, adding multiple former Tesla Inc. executives, gaining the supervision of Apple’s top artificial intelligence executive and ramping up road tests. The initiative, known as Project Titan inside Apple, is attracting intense interest because of its potential to upend the automotive industry and supply chains, much like the iPhone did to the smartphone market. If and when Apple commits to building a car, it is likely to seek multiple partners — including a major one to assemble the vehicle and many others to supply key components.

Porsche’s VP of Chassis Development, Dr. Manfred Harrer, looks to be heading to Apple in a sign of intent for the Apple Car and ‘Project Titan’. 9to5Mac picked up on the rumors, first published by Insider Deutschland.

If there was any doubt Apple fully intends to turn its Project Titan ambitions into a viable vehicle in the future, hiring a senior official responsible for car body development from a respected brand should stoke those concerns. Dr. Harrer has more than a decade of experience at Porsche, most recently adding the Cayenne series to his plate at the company, and his chassis development leadership dates back to 2016. Insider Deutschland says Porsche, Apple, and Dr. Harrer declined to comment on the report. Hyundai, on the other hand, has been making headlines over what its willing to say about Apple and the car rumors. Earlier this month, Hyundai stated on the record that it was in early discussions with Apple about producing its car. For the uninitiated, this is a solid way to guarantee that you are no longer in talks with Apple to produce its car. Nevertheless, additional reporting added that the two companies could reach a deal by March with a goal of vehicle production by 2024.

Apple supplier Foxconn and Chinese automaker Zhejiang Geely announced Wednesday that they are partnering provide contract manufacturing for third-parties, Reuters reported. It adds to a growing number of stories concerning Apple and electric vehicles.

They will each hold 50% of a venture that will also provide consulting services on electric vehicle (EV) technologies to automakers, the companies said in a statement. It marks the latest move by Foxconn, a major Apple Inc supplier, into autos after a tie-up with Chinese electric car startup Byton and comes amid reports that Apple is likely to launch a self-driving electric car by 2024. For Geely, the partnership will allow it to share its first EV-focused platform, launched in September, with other automakers, according to people familiar with Geely’s plan.

VW CEO Herbert Diess has welcomed “new competitors” following the latest Apple Car reports.  He made the comments in a LinkedIn post spotted by iMore.

Herbert Diess responded to talk of an Apple Car in a LinkedIn post, where he was asked about Apple’s project Titan, citing an article regarding reports Apple will release an autonomous car in 2024 with breakthrough battery technology. Diess responded: “We are looking forward to new competitors who will certainly accelerate the transformation of our industry and bring in new skills. The incredible evaluation and thus the virtually unlimited access to resources inspire us a great deal of respect. A real challenge – dimensions greater than those within our industry (e.B. Toyota Motor Corporation ) As I have already said, the most valuable company in the world will once again be a mobility company – it Tesla can, Apple or may be Volkswagen AG called.” (Translated)