Sources confirm that Apple is now working on a new self-driving auto in Silicon Valley, and is on the look for secure locations in the Bay Area to test it out.
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They gathered engineers from its secret Special Project group to meet with officials at a former naval base near San Francisco called GoMentum Station.
According to a report by NDTV, Apple has been making enquiries about a former naval base turned testing ground for self-driving cars and other cutting edge vehicles.
As Quartz reports, the Guardian discovered that Apple’s “Project Titan” self-driving auto is much further into development than was previously thought.
This facility has more than 20 miles of paved roads, overpasses, city streets, and highways, all of which is not only closed off to the public, it’s protected by the U.S. military. It’s said to be a high-security facility that’s been used by Honda and Mercedes-Benz for testing autonomous vehicles.
The facility is operated by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, which is promoting it as an ideal testing facility for carmakers and tech companies working on automotive technology and describing it as “the largest secure test facility in the world”.
As noted by The Guardian, Apple has expressed interest in using GoMentum Station for testing purposes. Randy Iwasaki, executive director of the CCTA, told The Guardian, “We had to sign a non-disclosure agreement with Apple“.
Serious speculation on Apple’s plans surfaced last year, with Apple senior vice-president Jeff Williams describing such an automobile as “the ultimate mobile device”.
A previous email form Fearon reportedly states “We are hoping to see a presentation on the… testing grounds with a layout, photos, and a description of how the various areas of the grounds could be used”.
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It appears that the rumors of Apple being interested in a self-driving vehicle may indeed be more fact than fiction. Speculations further spurred after reports also link Apple poaching engineers from across the automotive industry – some even from Tesla.
