Apple has been rumoured to be working on a self-driving electric auto, codenamed Project Titan, but this is the first time its existence has been documented.
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Refuelling rumours the tech giant’s next big project is to bring a self-driving auto to market, documents obtained by the Guardian say the company is searching for a location to test the autonomous vehicles to rival designs already manufactured by Google. They quoted an Apple engineer saying that the company was inquiring about the timing and availability of this particular space, which has been used by Mercedes-Benz and Honda for their own self-driving cars. So it’s hardly surprising that Apple is looking into its use.
The British newspaper the Guardian said Apple may sign up with GoMentum Station in Concord, northeast of San Francisco.
The report also notes Fearon asking GoMentum Officils for a presentation regarding the testing ground and how the vast land can be used including photos and layouts.
The facility is basically a closed-off ghost town, which makes it an ideal location for testing futuristic vehicles that can’t be seen by the public.
Although Apple hasn’t officially announced its so-called Titan vehicle project, there has been evidence regarding the same.
According to its website, GoMentum Station is a 5,000-acre former naval weapons station with 20 miles of paved roads. Mr Hall said his agency hoped to partner with other companies for testing self-driving cars and “connected vehicles” – cars that use the internet and local networks to exchange a variety of information with other devices and vehicles.
“We can’t tell you anything other than they’ve come in and they’re interested“, Iwasaki said to The Guardian.
Tim Cook held several meetings with auto executives and poached several automotive engineers from several automakers, which includes the head of “Mercedes Benz’s Silicon Valley research arm”. The facility on which Apple seeks to carry out tests is more than 2000 acres.
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An Apple spokesperson told Macworld that the company declines to comment on rumor and speculation.
