It's well known that Apple has been working on self-driving cars for sometime – there's even been pictures of a vehicle on California's roads. Now, company CEO Tim Cook has revealed what, exactly, the firm is creating.
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In an interview with Bloomberg, Cook has said Apple is creating "autonomous systems" for cars and not a complete self-driving model itself.
"It’s a core technology that we view as very important," Cook told the publication. "We sort of see it as the mother of all AI projects". The interview was recorded on June 5, the same time as Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference where it announced Siri updates, iOS 11, and its HomePod.
In the interview with Bloomberg, Cook didn't rule out Apple eventually making its own vehicle but stressed it was working on the AI technologies needed for vehicles to operate. These are likely to include machine learning, machine vision, and LiDAR systems.
The interview from Cook revealed more details than were previously known about Apple's car project, but it is not the first time the company's plans have been revealed. In September 2015, it was revealed that the car is being developed under the internal name of 'Project Titan' and the work could be released as soon as 2019. In the latest interview, Cook gives no details of a time frame for its work.
Almost a year later, in December 2016, Apple sent a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in Washington that alluded to its plans for a vehicle. The document said Apple "is investing heavily in the study of machine learning and automation, and is excited about the potential of automated systems in many areas, including transportation."
The comments were made in response to a proposed automated vehicles policy in Washington and Apple didn't directly admit it was working on vehicle technologies. There have also been reports that Apple was looking to buy McLaren and set-up a 'car lab' in Berlin.
Cook also told Bloomberg that he has an interest in electric vehicles. "It’s a marvellous experience not to stop at the filling station or the gas station," he said.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
