Apple Gets License to Test Self Driving Cars in Calif. Media Acts Surprised
“It’s going to be like Christmas Eve for a while.” – Tim Cook on the Apple Car speculation. Today we learn the company just got a license to test self driving cars in California.
Reboot, not quit
I know everybody bought the speculation that a reshuffle and change in aims within the Apple Car teams meant the project had failed, floundered or some other ‘F’ up. I’d argue the the speculation bought Apple time to set up R&D departments near some of the world’s biggest car makers. (As I did argue, as readers will already know).
The speculation also gave Apple space to do a few more things under the radar. which I guess we will grow to understand.
As I said at the time it emerged, “Reboot does not mean ‘quit“, but you get the media you pay for and this site — well, let’s just call it a love thing and leave it at that. I said at that time Apple wanted to focus on ‘inherent technology”. Now it’s going to start testing it.
That’s not to say the road to smart car heaven will be easy. I think we’re a few self-driving road races away from that being desirable, let alone possible. Also interesting to note that Apple partner Didi Chuxing opened its own self-driving lab near Apple in California. Softbank has a vision of the connected future. And Apple’s been bringing components in-house.
What does it all mean?
“Vrooom“… but not this Christmas. (Though Apple’s gonna have a hard time keeping this product under wraps, so hard, in fact, that it may as well go public with what it’s doing… once it has enough of a story to tell…)
More Apple Car stuff here.
Dear reader, this is just to let you know that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.