Let the Apple Car rumors roll on. Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,899,340) for a “vehicle with automated subsystems.”
It involves a self-driving, autonomous vehicle. In the patent data, Apple notes that cars have components that are responsible for controlling motion of the vehicle, such as steering components, propulsion components, and braking components. They can include controls that allow a human operator to direct motion of the vehicle. Vehicles can include automated systems that direct some or all aspects of motion of the vehicle — and that’s what Apple has in mind for the Apple Car, it seems.
Here’s the summary of the invention: “A vehicle includes a vehicle body and road wheels that are connected to the vehicle body. A propulsion system is operable to independently control propulsion torque to each of the road wheels. A steering system is operable to independently control a steering angle of each of the road wheels. A braking system that is operable to independently control braking torque to each of the road wheels.
“An active suspension system regulates motion of the road wheels with respect to the vehicle body by independently controlling application of force to each of the road wheels. A vehicle control module is operable to determine a desired chassis-level motion, determine a control strategy to achieve the desired chassis-level motion, and output commands to each of the propulsion system, the steering system, the braking system, and the active suspension system to achieve the desired chassis-level motion.”
Speaking of the Apple Car rumors, Korea’s eDaily claims that Hyundai intends to transition the company’s “Apple Car” partnership to its Kia brand as part of an arrangement that could see production move to the U.S.
The report adds that Hyundai has decided it’s “not suitable” for the Apple Car business because of its will, to continue the Hyundai brand. Plus, the car maker purportedly doesn’t want to come an original equipment manufacturer for Apple vehicles.
On January 10, it was announced (rumored?) that Apple and Hyundai plan to sign a partnership deal on autonomous electric cars by March and start production around 2024 in the U.S.
On January 8, Korea IT News reported that Apple and Hyundai would team up to produce electric vehicles. Hyundai is a South Korean multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Seoul. Hyundai Motor Company was founded in 1967 and, along with its 32.8% owned subsidiary, Kia Motors, and its 100% owned luxury subsidiary, Genesis Motor, and electric vehicle subsidiary, Ioniq.
