Apple is recruiting experts in automotive technology and vehicle design to work at a new top-secret research lab, said several people familiar with the company, pointing to ambitions that go beyond the dashboard.Apple hiring automotive experts to work in secret research lab
Dozens of Apple employees, led by experienced managers from its iPhone unit, are researching automotive products at a confidential Silicon Valley location outside the company’s Cupertino campus, the people said.
Sir Jonathan Ive’s team of Apple designers has held regular meetings with automotive executives and engineers in recent months, in some cases trying to hire them. Recent recruits to Apple’s team include the head of Mercedes-Benz’s Silicon Valley R&D unit.
The Apple research lab was set up late last year, not long after Apple unveiled its forthcoming smart watch and latest iPhones, which suggests that any resulting product may still be years away from release. Apple often investigates a wide range of new product areas, some of which never get released.
Bolstered by the resurgent success of its iPhones, the company’s ambition under chief executive Tim Cook is growing. Its closest rival, Google, has spent years developing an autonomous vehicle and carmakers from Tesla Motors to century-old Detroit brands are vying for Silicon Valley talent. But many dismiss the idea of an Apple-made car as far-fetched, not least because it lacks its own manufacturing facility.One senior industry figure said: “It’s one thing to draw pictures but it’s a quantum leap to manufacture things, and Apple doesn’t even manufacture.”...MUCH MORE
HT: MacRumors who also gave us the heads-up for "Watch Out Google/Uber Alles: "Mysterious Apple Car Spotted Roaming Bay Area Streets""
