Roger Fingas
Apple should collaborate with existing carmakers, tapping their experience, instead of trying to build its own car single-handedly, the CEO of Fiat Chrysler said at this week's Geneva International Motor Show.
Carmakers already have the capacity to deal with Apple's needs, and turning to them would make more sense in such a "complex business," Sergio Marchionne told journalists at the show, according to Reuters. The executive further compared the idea of a self-made "Apple Car" to an illness.
"If they have any urges to make a car, I'd advise them to lie down and wait until the feeling passes," he said. "Illnesses like this come and go, you will recover from them, they're not lethal."
Apple is believed to be working on an electric car for launch in 2019 or 2020. The company may need to partner up for manufacturing — given the cost, scale, and complexity involved — but is thought to be handling design without outside help, at least so far. One possible manufacturing partner could be BMW, which has allegedly been in talks.
In a recent interview, Apple CEO Tim Cook wouldn't directly acknowledge car development (believed to be underway as "Project Titan"), and suggested that even if the company has hundreds of people working on a concept, that could still constitute exploration rather than commitment.
Charles Martin
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
Wesley Hilliard
Andrew Orr
59 Comments
Maybe Fiat Chrysler should file a motion to compel Apple to work with them.
I've never advocated for Apple to do a big buy, but if they did, I'd pick BMW as the first; just a great product line.
Getting predictable after iPod and iPhone... CEO's advising against Apple doing it (themselves).
In other words, buy us. He' been trying to find a merger partner for a while.
Who said Apple would do it alone at the end of the day? So an electric car is not much different than Apple's other product lines...computer, battery technology are the things that challenge conventional car manufacturers and these things (plus indistrial design) are Apple strong points.
An electric engine, chassis, wheels, brakes and steering seem like the issues they may need outside help with. But they can buy these intellectual sets on the market.
Manufacturing will be a non-issue as this will be contracted out as usual.
Without labor costs, a bloated executive class and legacy retirement funds to worry about, Apple will do fine.