Reports about an autonomous Apple car have been doing the rounds for years now though the latest development on this front is that the much talked about Apple car is set to enter production in 2024 itself. However, noted Apple analyst Ming Chi Kuo is of the opinion that the Apple Car won’t be ready for market release before at least 2028.
Kuo opined even that would be an optimistic target given Apple’s record on its ambitious automotive project so far. An innovative mono-cell battery too is believed to accompany the car, one that will set new records when it comes to the driving range and charging times.
Needless to say, all of these are enough to make hardcore Apple fanboys to be bullish on the project though the reality on the ground is far from anything to be too excited about. The reason cited by Kuo for this is that there are no certain indications as yet that points to a launch in 2024 or 2025 to seem reliable.
Further, a major product as an Apple automobile likely entering production in 2024 would have triggered off an avalanche of leaked info spilling over into the virtual world from the supplier chain network. None of that has so far been seen happening with the upcoming Apple car.
However, the biggest reason that might cause a lot of apprehension about the Apple car is that it started with its autonomous car project years after its competitors did. For instance, the Alphabet’s Waymo or Tesla have already been working on self-driving cars for years now. That way, they have several years’ worth of big data accumulated during the period and are already in a position to get started with deep learning and other AI methodologies.
As it is, launching an automobile is always fraught with a lot of challenges, which takes on a whole new proportion if it is a self-driving car. The advantage that its competitors have is that Waymo already has working prototypes for the same while Tesla offers advanced driver-assist features on its top models.
Even Amazon recently showcased a self-driving robo-taxi concept named Zoox car. Ride-hailing service provider, Uber too has a working prototype of an autonomous car, besides offering self-driving trucks as well. In fact, almost every other major carmaker is working on self-driving car ventures in some form or the other. Those include the likes of Mercedes, BMW, and so on.
Under the circumstances, it is going to be an extremely competitive segment Apple would be entering with its autonomous car. All of that also makes it extremely challenging for the company to excel in this field.
Add Comment