Recent Findings Indicate Hyundai's Outspokenness hasn't Fatalized its Prospective Collaboration with Apple... so Far
Hyundai's gossip mill might've put a temporary damper on their potential collaboration with Apple on self-driving electric vehicles, but it seems the Koreans haven't burned all their bridges just yet. According to Reuters, sourcing information from Korea IT News, Hyundai and Apple are reportedly looking to ink a deal on autonomous EVs by March. The deal could potentially see cars being manufactured at a Kia Motors plant in Georgia, or a joint investment in a new U.S. factory, with a goal of producing 100,000 cars by 2024, ramping up to 400,000 cars annually thereafter.
Reuters' initial report, however, was later watered down, with details like the production location, timeframe for the deal, and the anticipated launch of pilot cars being scrubbed. Nonetheless, the rumor mill was once again churning with word that Apple had approached Hyundai about creating an electric vehicle and batteries, an offer Hyundai was reportedly considering.
Apple's desire to enter the self-driving car game is no secret. They've been planning Project Titan since 2014, with the project initially focusing on hardware for cars and later shifting to software. More recent reports suggest that Apple has a small team working on drive systems, vehicle interiors, and external designs for cars.
But with the Apple car still in the realm of rumors and Hyundai's penchant for spilling the beans, fans and observers are encouraged to take these developments with a grain of salt. Hyundai has refused to comment, while Apple hasn't responded to Gizmodo's inquiries. As the saying goes, some folks just can't keep good news to themselves.
As of now, it seems that the partnership between Apple and Hyundai is at a standstill, with no concrete developments to report. However, the initial discussions and potential collaborations leave room for hope that it's not a done deal just yet.
[Reuters]
Canoo's Partnership with Hyundai:
Apple Car Project:
- Despite the temporary halt in their collaboration talks, Hyundai and Apple continue to explore the possibility of a deal in the tech-driven future of self-driving electric vehicles, as reported by Reuters.
- According to Canoo's partnership announcement with Hyundai, the tech giant Apple is also rumored to be in discussions with Hyundai for potential collaborations in the field of electric vehicles and technology, purportedly aiming for a production capacity of 100,000 cars by 2024.
- If the joint deal between Hyundai and Apple materializes, it could lead to a significant investment in a new US factory or the utilization of Kia Motors' plant in Georgia for manufacturing a reported 400,000 autonomous electric vehicles annually.
- The potential collaboration between Apple and Hyundai, while at a standstill currently, has sparked hope in the tech and automobile communities, as both companies possess the technological capacity to revolutionize the automobile industry in the next decade.
