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Few initiatives have been as speculated and discussed last year as “Project Titan.” We know so far that this project will serve as Apple’s official attempt to conquer the automotive world and potentially compete with the 800-pound gorilla in the room, Tesla Inc.
Although the hardware empire of Tim Cook is still relatively silent regarding its self-driving technology ambitions, Tim Cook has previously hinted at it, including in this interview with the New York Times, saying:
“In terms of work we’re doing (in that field), I’m going to be a little coy on that. Autonomy itself is a core technology, and if you step back, the car is a robot in many ways. An autonomous car is a robot. And there are lots of things you can do with autonomy. We’ll see what Apple does.”
Although the interviewer later tried to extract more information from Cook regarding Project Titan, the Apple CEO responded with answers that sounded as codified as the self-driving Apple Car project itself. From what we know, the birthplace of the iPhone, IPad, and IPod is still exploring the automotive world, but there are a couple of reasons why it might be different this time.
Apple’s aggressive hiring strategy.
If we want to predict what Apple is working on, our first destination should be the hiring section on its website. Most Big Tech companies are doing it. When Amazon’s CEO, Jeff Bezos, came up with the concept of a talking device that would later become Alexa, he started secretly hiring AI experts, going so far as even to hide the new team from his most trusted executives.
Even though Apple has its fair share of secrecy, they’ve never reached the Amazon level. And they want to tease the world about the fantastic future they are building for car fans this time.
Tim Cook refused to buy Tesla from Musk a while ago. He probably regrets it.
Before Tesla became the behemoth it is today, Elon Musk had a bunch of troubles with the program. His Tesla Model 3 screw-ups even convinced him that the company was done for, and he looked for a buyer. He even described the Tesla Model 3 as:
“The most difficult logistics problem I have ever seen, and I have seen some tough ones.”
So, on the brink of bankruptcy, Musk decided to attempt to sell his brainchild to another tech mogul with large ambitions: Apple.
The hardware and software titan’s humongous budget could potentially turn the tide for Tesla, albeit stripping the young car company of its independence. However, when he tried reaching out to Tim Cook, he kept dodging his calls and refused to have any meetings with him.
Tesla is now the 5th most valuable company in the USA, and it shows no signs of stopping. That’s quite bizarre, given Cook’s knack for operations and manufacturing, which were Musk’s Achilles heel. And probably the Apple CEO’s biggest mistake. Maybe the Apple Car is Cook’s revenge against Musk. Perhaps it’s just speculation. Or maybe, the Apple vehicle will not be a car itself!
No matter how you look at it, 2022 will be a BIG year for the automotive world, and we can’t wait to see what the industry has in store for us!
If your car is not performing at the level it should, be sure to stop by our Brown Motor Works Northeast location at 520 Clemson Rd., Columbia, SC 29229, or schedule an appointment online. Our mechanics will gladly look at the vehicle and give it a proper diagnosis! And don’t forget to Like us on Facebook for news and updates. We specialize in BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Mini Coopers, so you can feel confident your vehicle is in good hands with our highly skilled technicians.