Apple patent involves a vehicle video system for a self-driving Apple Car

Let the Apple Car rumors roll on. Apple has been granted another patent (number 11,341,752) for a “vehicle video system.” It involves a self-driving car that uses images captured by its camera system to navigate to its destination.

About the patent

In the patent filing, Apple notes that automated control systems for vehicles may navigate to a general area. For example, automated control systems may navigate to a general area as designated by a point on a map. 

However, Apple says that navigation using information such as maps isn’t well-suited to designating a destination at a very specific location, such as the location of an entry door to a building or a place where a person is standing. 

Apple’s solution is a vehicle video system that includes obtaining images using one or more cameras mounted on a vehicle, sending data representing at least a portion of the obtained images to a display device, receiving data representing a selected part of the obtained images, correlating the selected part of the obtained images with a geolocation, and moving the vehicle toward the geolocation. 

The Apple Car would sport one or more cameras mounted on the vehicle, one or more processors, and a powertrain. The processors are configured to obtain images using the one or more cameras, send data representing at least a portion of the obtained images to a display device, receive data representing a selected part of the obtained images, and correlate the selected part of the obtained images with a geolocation. The powertrain is configured to move the vehicle toward the geolocation. 

The Apple Car would also hold a computer readable storage device having computer executable program instructions executed by one or more processors of the vehicle. The computer executable program instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to obtain images using the vehicle cameras. The computer system would then send data representing at least a portion of the obtained images to a display device, receive data representing a selected part of the obtained images, correlate the selected part of the obtained images with a geolocation, and cause the vehicle to move toward the geolocation. 

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.