Let the Apple Car rumors roll on. In a note to investors seen by AppleInsider, Morgan Stanley Auto & Shared Mobility analyst Adam Jones says not to expect to see a steering wheel in a vehicle by the tech giant as it will be full autonomous and self-driving.
“We have a hard time imagining Apple entering the automotive market with a vehicle design that involves human intervention in the driving process,” Jones writes. “Just our view but an Apple car with a steering wheel is like an iPhone with physical buttons and a coiled rubber cord connected to a wall. If we’re right, then this could really turbocharge investor appreciation on the AV timeline.”
I’m a bit skeptical, but former Apple design guru, Jony Ive, wanted to see an Apple Car with no steering wheel. Instead, he envisioned it with all inputs being handled by Siri, Apple’s “personal digital assistant.”
Other companies are toying with the idea of a steering wheel-less car. In 2018 a GM Safety Petition hinted that the automaker planned to deploy a no-steering-wheel, pedal-less vehicle.