Apple Signs Deal with Volkswagen for Driverless Car
Favorite tidbits:- This is only for experimental self-driving vans shuttling employees. It will have drivers to take control on demand.- Initially Apple planned self-driving vehicle where 4 seats face each other, sunroof material that gives less hit, electrically tinted windows and holographic windshields.- Project was abandoned because they realized "designing and building fundamental parts of a new car was not simple".- Apple tried to partner with someone who can do manufacturing while they do design. BMW, Mercedes, Nissan - all rejected that offer.- Ive was charged with design. Tim Cook drives BMW so he wanted to partner with them.- VW accepted the offer because they have been beaten a lot. They will supply basic components while Apple will add others.It surprises to me no end that a company with $100B in funds, vast experience in supply chain and ability to suck up virtually all talent is struggling so badly at a technology that is over 100 years old while Tesla with its shoestring budgets leap frogged all established players. Goes on to show that leader at the top makes all the difference in the world.Kudos to NYT for doing investigative journalism.