According to The Guardian, in the documents, Apple engineer Frank Fearson wrote, “We would … like to get an understanding of timing and availability for the space, and how we would need to coordinate around other parties who would be using [it]”.
Advertisement
Moreover, Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO has held conferences with many vehicle executives together with Sergio Marchionne of Fiat-Chrysler.
The documents suggest that Technology giant Apple is trying to build a self-driving car in Silicon Valley.
Confirming talks with Apple, Randy Iwasaki, the executive director of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority which owns GoMentum Station, has told The Guardian that the owner has signed a non-disclosure agreement with Apple. The move would represent a big leap beyond making smartphones and computers. Last May, the senior vice-president of the company, Jeff Williams called the car “the ultimate movable device”.
Google and auto organizations, for example, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz are as of now taking a shot at comparable advances, and got grants permitting them to test self-driving vehicles in California. More recently, Uber has been hiring engineers at a furious pace from robotics-focused Carnegie Mellon University, and a number of automakers have been doubling down on driver-assist tech that ultimately could take full control from drivers.
In The Guardian’s report, Fearon is quoted as writing GoMentum officials asking for specifics on how the layout of the area could be used to test autonomous cars in a real-world situation.
Advertisement
While some analysts see Apple as setting out to reinvent transportation, others have been skeptical, predicting that the company is mainly interested in designing and supply electronic components and consumer gadgets for increasingly automated cars.
