Apple Car supposedly features no steering wheel or brakes, has inward-facing seats

[Daniel Sims]

Through the looking glass: Rumors about Apple's attempts to produce a self-driving electronic vehicle have swirled for years. A new report lays out the history of the company's troubled "Project Titan" and reveals some fascinating details about its design, including its lack of a steering wheel.

The Information released an in-depth report on Apple's years-long attempt to build a self-driving car. Much of it chronicles details that anyone following "Project Titan" already knows, but the piece also includes some new tidbits concerning the car's design and struggles.

Currently, self-driving cars still must be able to relinquish control to humans for safety and have often had to during tests. The report mentions multiple cases where this happened with Titan. Most interestingly, Apple is trying to get permission from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to release the vehicle without a steering wheel or brake pedals, committing entirely to being a self-driving vehicle.

Apple designers' ideas for the car's seating arrangement form another unusual aspect of the project. The latest design features four inward-facing seats, so passengers directly face each other. Designers are also discussing letting passengers lie flat and sleep.

Despite being in the works for almost a decade, a level 5 Apple car is probably still years away from public release. Apple formerly looked to Hyundai to help it produce the vehicle, but talks paused in February last year. Last September, project head Doug Field left Apple for a job at Ford, compounding the delays even further.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/95260-apple-car-supposedly-features-no-steering-wheel-or.html

 

[p51d007]

You think the Apple fanboys will care? As long as it has the apple logo, they will line up to turn over their money to have one. (probably cost as much as a house these days).

 

[m4a4]

Lol, all I can think about is how Apple is criticized for being too controlling, and here they reportedly want to control how you drive

I don't think this is coming out anytime soon then (certainly not globally). Especially considering Tesla's self-driving capabilities are not close to ready (as they don't account for almost all potential conditions yet), and they're actively testing it across many different roads types, traffic, and climates (unlike Apple).

If anything, it doesn't sound like it's meant for regular consumers, but for commercial routes...

 

[psycros]

And the class action lawyers began salivating reflexively.

 

[brucek]

Of course that's the winning design once fully automated driving is mature. Most people will want a comfortable mobile living room, or office, or bedroom, not a traditional cramped car experience.

Pretty gutsy of Apple thinking they could start with that for version 1.0 though. Personally I'd guess we're a minimum of 20 years away.

When we get there, I want something like those well done converted vans you see all over YouTube, just fully self driving.

Also, for certain trips, no need for me to even be in the car. If it's a Starbucks run, I want it to pick up from drive-thru on its own.

 

[yRaz]

Will cost more than a Mercedes and they'll tell you you're holding it wrong when it breaks.

 

[VitalyT]

A car without brakes? That's a first.

 

[mrvco]

I'll start taking this seriously when the first 'spy shot' from an automotive proving ground gets posted.

 

[ZedRM]

This is such stupid idea. Utter garbage. No thank you Apple.

 

[yannus]

Apple knows how to keep people dreaming. Still, the design is quite beautiful except for the logo right under the Citroen logo.

 

[sorten]

There is no Apple car. There will be no Apple car. But it's good for a few clicks every time it's mentioned.

 

[OortCloud]

Tim Cook - is it just me, or he the smuggest b**st**d? Every time I see a pic of him I just want to punch him in the face.

 

[AlaskaGuy]

That's a hard no for me.

 

[hahahanoobs]

They want their first car to be FSD...
They want you to sit facing each other...
It has no steering wheel...

Nothing I read sounds remotely interesting from a company that has shown nothing interesting so far. Nothing Apple makes wows me. I personally don't even think their phones are worth $700. I think everything they make is overpriced trash.

 

[Fearghast]

There are a lot of aspects Apple can bend and sell, like a smartwatch claiming to "measure" something, but when it comes to vehicles laws are usually more strict and allow less BS to be claimed or sold.
Apple approach for "good enough" or we might fix it later is hard to implement when it comes to vehicles.

 

[Puiu]

They won't get approval for such a car to run on the streets. It's too early.

 

[ypsylon]

Well I can imagine that AppleCare+ will cost about the same as the car if it ever comes to fruition.

Kind of funny this Apple 2CV front grill.

 

[amghwk]

Designers are also discussing letting passengers lie flat and sleep.

.... and wake up in hospital.

 

[Plutoisaplanet]

Nothing I read sounds remotely interesting from a company that has shown nothing interesting so far. Nothing Apple makes wows me. I personally don't even think their phones are worth $700. I think everything they make is overpriced trash.

I agree about most Apple products, but not all. Apple sells so many overpriced headphones, but these for example may be the best in the market for their price: https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MNHF2AM/A/earpods-with-35-mm-headphone-plug

The iPhone SE is also competitive for a midrange smartphone at $420. But all the $1000+ phones they sell make me want to puke.

 

[SilverCider]

Citroen and Gran Turismo 5 called, they want their GT vision car back.

 

[Sathi43]

.... and wake up in hospital.

Or in next life! Thing looks like a f****ng terminator. I don't want to get in there with no steering wheels or brakes!

 

[Faelan]

You think the Apple fanboys will care? As long as it has the apple logo, they will line up to turn over their money to have one. (probably cost as much as a house these days).

Heh… guess I’m not an Apple fanboy then. I love my Apple products, but a car? Why would I buy something I have no use for? Apple getting into the automotive industry just feels out of place to me.

 

[trgz]

Think of the nausea issues from sitting sideways to say nothing of the whiplash injuries when hit from behind

 

[Uncle Al]

I doubt the American public is ready for this one and certainly not from Apple .... maybe next century.

 

[passwordistaco]

No steering wheel, no brake pedal, no headphone jack. Courage!