If rumors are to be believed, Apple may be foraying into a new territory with the alleged development of a self-driving iCar that would give Tesla a run for its money.
Accordingly, the American tech giant has set up a secret laboratory outside of its Cupertino headquarters in California that will be working or is now working for the development of an Apple vehicle that is envisioned to change the landscape.
The Daily Mail reported that speculations that Apple is into the development of a self-driving electric vehicle grew louder when an Apple car was spotted driving around California fitted with Street View-style cameras.
As the vehicle was darkly tinted, it was not clear whether the Apple vehicle had a driver or was driving on its own with the Street View-style cameras as eyes on the road.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) confirmed that the vehicle was leased to Apple. The vehicle was said to have 12 cameras on top.
The car is not yet the Apple vehicle that is being developed by the company but a Dodge minivan so it is likely that the vehicle is on a test mission.
Apple is into something new
It is not surprising to find out that Apple is going into the development of an electric and electronically-powered car.
Last year, Mickey Drexler, a board member of the American tech company revealed that before his death in 2011, Steve Jobs was already considering building an Apple car. He told then that Steve Jobs was going to design an iCar which will most likely have an extraordinary and cool design.
The notion that Apple is into car development is further fuelled by reports that a significant number of Apple employees, supposedly spearheaded by its experienced managers from its iPhone unit, are now researching automotive industry products at a confidential Silicon Valley location.
These reports came from sources close to Apple personnel who are doing the research at the moment. The same sources cited that the company has set up the secret laboratory late last year. Apple designer Sir Jonathan Ive, who is known to be a car enthusiast, is reportedly overseeing the ongoing research activity in the secret laboratory.
In-car entertainment initially
Initial reports on this project by sources claim that Apple is into the development of an in-car entertainment system known as CarPlay but considering the resources and large research ensemble that the company has put together, they know it is something bigger.
One of the sources said that if the same research team worked on an in-car entertainment system project, they could have finished it by this time. The CarPlay should be out by this time but apparently the research team is still working so it is likely that they are working on a car, the sources added.
An e-mail from an anonymous employee also confirmed to a business magazine that the company is into vehicle information but did not disclose any further information.