iCar

Apple’s aggressive automotive hiring causes electric motorcycle startup to close its doors

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 19, 2015

Apple's aggressive pace of recruiting top talent in the automotive industry for its rumored electric car project, dubbed Project Titan, has caused a San Francisco motorcycle startup to shutter its operation after losing top talent to the iPhone maker, Reuters reported Monday.

Although the Cupertino firm has never attempted to acquire Mission Motors, which designed sleek electric bikes, the company was forced to cease operations in May “after losing some of its top engineering talent to Apple,” said Reuters, citing sources close to Mission.

Former GM Vice Chairman disses Apple’s car project, calls it ‘a gigantic money pit’

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 22, 2015

If you're looking for the auto industry version of “PC guys are not going to just figure this out. They’re not going to just walk in,” look no further than knee-jerk comments that former GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz made on CNBC.

His arguments: no one's “made a nickel” selling electric cars, that market “is still minuscule” so Apple's Project Titan must be “a gigantic money pit”.

“If I were a shareholder, I'd be very upset,” he added.

WSJ: Apple speeds up electric car project, now targeting 2019 as a prospective shipping date

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 21, 2015

Apple’s rumored electric project, code-named Project Titan, has sped up development as the Cupertino company now targets 2019 as a prospective shipping date, The Wall Street Journal said Monday.

In fact, Apple has internally designating the rumored electric vehicle as a “committed project” after it spent more than a year investigating the feasibility of an Apple-branded car, including meetings with two groups of government officials in California.

Apple car project reportedly underway at secret Sunnyvale campus using shell firm

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 13, 2015

Apple is running its rumored electric car project, code-named “Titan,” through a shell company called SixtyEight Research from a small top-secret office building in Sunnyvale, California, just minutes away from the company's 1 Infinite Loop headquarters in Cupertino, according to intriguing findings published Friday by AppleInsider.

Citing two people with knowledge of the project, the publication claims the Titan building, itself code-named “SG5,” is home to recruits from Tesla and Apple's other automotive related hires. One person claims that some of the projects underway there have been kept “very secret” within the company.

Analyst weighs on why auto industry needs Apple, Mercedes-Benz exec laughs off Project Titan

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 25, 2015

As big media rides on the 'Apple researching an electric vehicle' bandwagon, one analyst lays out why the Cupertino firm could ultimately become a force to be reckoned with in autonomous cars.

Commenting on an influx of stories related to Apple's rumored Project Titan, Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty explains (via Forbes) why the world’s richest, most valuable company taking on the world’s most disruptable business makes a lot of sense.

Electric car battery maker suing Apple for poaching critical employees

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 17, 2018

Electric car battery maker A123 Systems filed a lawsuit against Apple earlier this month for poaching its employees, reports Law360. The company says the Cupertino firm began an "aggressive campaign" around June of last year to recruit some of its most critical staffers for a new large-scale battery division.

This directly violates the company's noncompete and nondisclosure agreements, says A123 Systems, and the poaching has resulted in a substantial loss of investment and left them scrambling to find replacements. It's asking the court for undisclosed damages and a 1-year order, barring them from moving.

Apple’s automotive hires strongly indicate a car project rather than work on CarPlay

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated June 25, 2016

Talking to sources, 9to5Mac has put together a list of key experts Apple's hired and assigned to its rumored car thing, code-named Project Titan. The project is led by product design Vice President and former Ford executive, Steve Zadesky.

Another big hire is Johann Jungwirth, President & CEO, Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America.

He specializes in integrating smartphone functionality and developing advanced user experiences. All told, the Cupertino firm is reportedly is assembling a thousand-people team under Zadesky. Hundreds of them are from an automotive hardware background and were hired recently or around the time Tim Cook reportedly approved the project.

Here are some of them.

Reuters: Apple’s Project Titan involves a self-driving electric car

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 14, 2015

A rumor involving an Apple-branded electric vehicle that The Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal threw their weight behind just took an interesting turn with a Reuters report Saturday offering additional tidbits.

The news gathering organization learned from sources that Apple's electric vehicle is actually an autonomous self-driving car. Apple is reportedly actually “exploring how to make an entire vehicle” rather than just designing automotive software as previously suspected.

Apple hiring automotive experts for secret project

Cody Lee ∙ Updated June 25, 2016

Apple is recruiting experts in automotive technology and vehicle design to work at a new top-secret research lab, Financial Times reported on Friday. Among the new-hires is former president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Research & Development Johann Jungwirth.

Citing several insider sources, the outlet says Apple set up the new research lab late last year at a confidential Silicon Valley location. And it's believed that the facility is being used by a team, led by experienced iPhone managers, to research new automotive products.

Rumors intensify that Apple indeed is building a car

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 16, 2016

Reviving an old ‘iCar’ rumor, Business Insider on Monday ran a story citing an Apple employee as saying that the Cupertino company has been in fact working on something in “vehicle development“ that will “give Tesla a run for its money.”

“Apple's latest project is too exciting to pass up,” the source said. “I think it will change the landscape and give Tesla a run for its money.”

The following day, Bryan Chaffin, co-founder of The Mac Observer, wrote he was “certain” that Apple's building a car after talking to sources who estimated there's an “80 percent chance” of it working on an actual car rather than some car-related tech.

Could Apple be really building an automobile? What's going on here?

Volkswagen unveils new ‘iBeetle’ with integrated iPhone dock

Cody Lee ∙ April 22, 2013

This is kind of interesting. Following a press release this weekend, Volkswagen has just unveiled the 'iBeetle' at the Shanghai Motor Show in the city's Pudong district. The vehicle is expected to launch early next year, and will come in both coupe and convertible models.

Why is it called the iBeetle? The car will feature a custom built-in iPhone docking station, as well as a companion app, that will allow you to sync your iPhone with its entertainment system for making phone calls, streaming music and more. More details after the fold...

Apple looking to bolster its iOS vehicle integration team

Cody Lee ∙ Updated August 26, 2017

This is pretty interesting. A series of new job listings have been discovered on Apple's website, calling for applicants to fill a variety of positions related to iOS device integration with in-car stereos.

The listings are particularly relevant, given this week's report that Ferrari and Apple are in talks to "broaden their partnership." Could Apple be looking to get into the in-car entertainment space?