Apple reportedly began developing the Apple Car roughly eight years ago. Since the inception of the project, Apple’s struggles have been imminent when it has come to developing a self-driving EV, ranging from technical difficulties to leadership changes. The project has seen its fair share of trouble along the eight-year journey.
According to a detailed report by Wayne Ma, a journalist from The Information, the brand has now reportedly released information regarding the design of the car. The latest design features four seats facing each other for easier interpersonal communication amongst the riders of the EV. Also, the roof of the car has a curved design, resembling the roof of a Volkswagen Beetle.
Apple’s designers are reportedly experimenting with a trunk that automatically raises for simple access and lowers when not in use. The designers are also claimed to have talked about creating enormous screens for the seatbacks that can be adjusted up and down. Jony Ive, a former Apple design leader, is still working on the project as a consultant. According to reports, he told the Apple Car team that they “should lean toward the weirdness of the vehicle’s design and not try to hide its sensors” after he left Apple in 2019 to start the independent design business LoveFrom.
Wayne Ma also revealed that Apple hopes to get a waiver from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration so that it can introduce cars without steering and brake pedals. The Apple automobile team is rumored to have created a number of demo videos for self-driving technology to show Tim Cook and other executives. The team also gave Cook a test drive in a self-driving vehicle in the Santa Clara Valley, which “autonomously conducted a DMV self-driving road test to demonstrate its capabilities.”
It’s interesting to note that the story asserts Apple has even considered introducing a feature that would allow passengers to sleep while the car drives itself.
Apple is currently trying to figure out ways to hide the latest Apple Car prototype while it is being tested in public as the product steadily approaches its launch. However, the vehicle’s release won’t probably happen for several years.
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