Andrew Orr
Following a significant cutback earlier in 2023, Apple has expanded the number of test drivers for its autonomous vehicle project, commonly known as the Apple Car.
Like numerous other projects Apple has undertaken, the Apple Car's development has been underway for nearly a decade. According to data published by the California DMV in March 2023, Apple had registered 66 vehicles and 201 drivers for testing autonomous driving capabilities on public roads, but that reportedly dropped to 145 drivers in April.
However, a new report spotted by macReports claims that the number of drivers has risen again to 152. While that's still around 25% fewer drivers than in March, the fact that the figure has risen at all suggests that Apple is persisting with its car project.
Apple has yet to officially announce that it is working on an Apple Car, but the same new report reveals that it has had to disclose details of a collision. One of Apple's Lexus test vehicles was reportedly rear-ended while stationary at a stop sign in May 2023.
Overall, the AV landscape in California has witnessed significant developments from many firms other than Apple, including the licensing of Mercedes as another manufacturer authorized to deploy driverless vehicles. Mercedes joined an exclusive group in June of only four licensed manufacturers, which includes Nuro, Cruise, and Waymo.
Fleet volumes from the California DMV as of July 7, 2023, via macReportsHowever, Apple has yet to apply for a driverless permit.
Initial reports indicated a potential production run for the Apple Car in 2024. However, analysts have cautioned that the nascent state of self-driving technologies might impose limitations on what Apple can ultimately incorporate into its product or potentially lead to delays in its release.
As time progressed, analysts adjusted their predictions to suggest later timelines, extending beyond 2025 in certain instances. Furthermore, there have been reports of employee hiring, departures, shifts in key personnel, and even rumors of the project being put on hold.
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5 Comments
I used to be excited about driverless vehicles, but now I think it is way off in the future.
Seems like a complete waste of time. Can’t believe they have something better than Tesla and Apple usually only enters a market when they have something that is markedly ahead of the current technology.
Adaptive cruise control, let alone autonomous vehicles, are useless in bad weather. The issue is not the tech, it’s the road and highway infrastructure. There needs to be road systems that include transmitters for autonomous vehicles. This is not a new concept, it has just not been implemented yet.
Come guys, it is the process of research and new development to be applied to either “a car” or to other projects. Thinks of NASA that, without its research no matter how primitive results today, it conducted us to the explosion of new advances and technology, from micro-motors to AI’s solutions.
It is the Apple’s car…? I do not think so, and Apple knows it. It is, perhaps without knowing it, what is conducting us to the new glasses and future developments.