The California Department of Motor Vehicles has confirmed that Apple has 55 self-driving vehicles and 83 drivers permitted to test on the state’s roads. The tech giant had about 45 self-driving vehicles in January.
Apple hasn’t yet applied for a separate driverless testing permit that would allow for testing without a person in the car. The California DMV began issuing that type of permit in April.
In June 2017 Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed to Bloomberg that the company is developing self-driving car technology, which he calls a “core” technology. The company’s self-driving car prospects have involved Project Titan, the car development program that started three years ago. However, Apple changed course last year to focus on the tech. In April, photos revealed Apple testing self-driving sports-utility vehicles in California. Sources claim similar testing has happened for over a year.
The Sellers Research Group (that’s me) says Apple’s automotive plans will involve software (such as CarPlay) and advanced hardware, but that the company has abandoned plans to product its own automobile.
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