Apple Car patent involves a video system for aiding the view of passengers, easy location sharing

Let the Apple Car rumors roll on. Apple has been granted a patent (number US 11743526 B1) for a video system for a vehicle that will aid the view of passengers, as well as sharing the car’s location.

About the patent

In the patent Apple notes that some folks have trouble seeing out of a vehicle, because their view is obstructed by their positioning within the vehicle or because of vision. And some people wish to update friends or loved ones about their progress on a trip, e.g., when they are traveling in a vehicle to meet someone. 

Apple says that conventional facilities for sharing current location include providing coordinates on a map, but, map data may not tell the whole story. Apple’s idea is for a method that includes obtaining a video based on images detected with cameras mounted on a vehicle, storing the video in a memory, selecting a portion of the video based on input representing selection of a time offset and a viewing angle, and displaying the selected portion of the video corresponding to the time offset from the perspective of the viewing angle.

Apple’s patent also involves a method that includes determining a current location of a vehicle, determining a match between the current location of the vehicle and a video location associated with a video captured at the current location of the vehicle. A portion of the video representing the car’s location could be viewed by passengers and sent to others awaiting their arrival.

Summary of the patent

Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent: “A method includes determining a current location of a vehicle, determining a match between the current location of the vehicle and a video location associated with a video captured at the current location of the vehicle, selecting a portion of the video based on an input representing selection of a historical view of the current location of the vehicle, and displaying the selected portion of the video corresponding to the historical view of the current location.”

When might we see an Apple Car?

On. Nov. 18, 2021, Bloomberg reported that Apple is accelerating development on its “Apple Car.” The article says the electric vehicle will be self-driving and could roll out in 2025. 

What’s more, in a note to clients — as noted by AppleInsider — investment bank Wedbush says Apple is likely to announce a strategic electric vehicle partnership in 2022 to lay the groundwork for an “Apple Car” release in 2025.