Apple Inc. reportedly met with officials of California's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) over the summer, inquiring about the rules of the road for self-driving cars. However, due to the head start of Google and other automakers, it might be more interested in developing autonomous vehicle software. One iPod co-inventor recently shared that in 2008 the company's late ex-CEO Steve Jobs considered whether or not the tech giant should build an Apple iCar, one year after the first iPhone model's launch.
Tony Fadell is Alphabet's Nest Labs CEO and an ex-Apple executive. He told Emily Chang in a Bloomberg "Studio 1.0" interview that he and the late Apple co-founder tossed around the idea of how Apple could enter the auto industry.
Jobs and Fadell had the talk when American automakers were having some tough times. In fact, General Motors was close to filing for bankruptcy.
Fadell explained that in 2008 he and Jobs discussed the idea of Apple cars a few times as they walked and talked. They discussed many issues. Some were the auto's dashboard, seats, and fuel, according to Re/code.
In the end, Jobs decided not to develop an iCar. He also had considered and dropped ideas for TV sets and video cameras.
One key reason was he had Fadell were often too busy, according to BGR. Another was the lack of technology including issues such as a wireless network and self-driving functions.
Fadell noted that the company would have to scale up the iPhone's motor, battery, and computer to an Apple car. However, the big problems were wireless connectivity and autonomous vehicles' running.
In August of this year The Guardian obtained documents related to Apple's Project Titan. They revealed that the company was looking for self-driving car test sites in the San Francisco Bay area.
Here is a look at Apple's Project Titan electric car prototype: