Apple is speeding up work on a project that could lead to its own electric car, according to a new report. Will it built by Foxcon? Well no. However it might be built in parts in China and then assembled in San Francisco.
The maker of iPhones and iPads is tripling the number of engineers on the project, code-named Titan, and has set a “ship date” of 2019. While Apple has never officially confirmed it’s planning to build a car, there are strong indications it’s at least interested in automotive technology. In recent months, Apple has hired a number of engineers with backgrounds in automotive and battery design.
Apple representatives also met in May with officials at an automotive testing facility located east of San Francisco.
However, Apple doesn’t plan to make its first vehicle fully autonomous. A number of automakers and tech companies, including Google and Uber, are working on technology for autonomous and electric-powered vehicles.
Analysts say Apple has the financial resources and ambition to design and build a high-end vehicle, although some believe it’s more likely interested in developing software for use in cars made by other companies.
