I still don’t think Apple will build a full-fledged ‘Apple Car,’ but ….

I still don’t think Apple plans to make an “Apple Car,” but will instead use the technologies it’s developing to work with other companies to “Apple-ize” their vehicles. That said, making a full-fledged self-driving car is probably very tempting for the tech giant.

According to new data from Juniper Research, annual sales of fully autonomous vehicles (AVs) in the U.S. will reach five million by 2026. In comparison, the global market will account for 20 million new AVs sold during the same year, adds the research group.

Juniper estimates that 45 million on-road vehicles will have some form of ADAS [advanced driverless assistance systems] functionality by the end of 2018, with adoption reaching 100 million by 2020. Additionally, with luxury vehicles incorporating semi-autonomous technologies, such as the new Audi A8, the market will further evolve to full automation, while shifting its focus to delivering a complete driver experience, adds the research group.

“The introduction of fully autonomous technologies, with some vehicles no longer having steering wheels and pedals, will mean that the focus will shift from how drivers get from A-B to how the occupants use the journey time,” says research author Michael Larner.

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