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Category: AutoRevolution

  • BMW Will Invest in $1.7 Billion US-Based EV Production

    BMW Will Invest in $1.7 Billion US-Based EV Production

    BMW announced a major commitment to US-based electric vehicle (EV) production, with plans for a $1.7 billion investment.

    The automotive industry is working to electrify its lineups amid increasing regulatory and consumer incentives. Despite not being a fan of EV-only strategies, BMW’s executives announced a $1.7 billion investment in US-based EV production.

    The investment will be split between $1 billion to produce EVs at its existing plant in Spartanburg, SC, and $700 million to build a new high-voltage battery plant in Woodruff, SC.

    “For decades, Plant Spartanburg has been a cornerstone of the global success of the BMW Group. It is the home of the BMW X models that are so popular all over the world. Going forward, it will also be a major driver for our electrification strategy, and we will produce at least six fully electric BMW X models here by 2030. That means: The ‘Home of the X’ is also becoming the ‘Home of the Battery Electric Vehicle’,” said Oliver Zipse, BMW Group Chairman of the Board of Management. “In addition, we can showcase BMW Group’s ‘local for local’ principle: Our newly developed sixth generation battery cells, which were specifically designed for the next generation electric vehicles, will be sourced here in South Carolina – where X goes electric.”

    South Carolina Governor McMaster praised the company’s investment:

    “BMW’s sustained and impactful presence in South Carolina demonstrates the power of partnership and shared commitment to our state’s automotive industry success. With today’s announcement of a $1 billion expansion to Plant Spartanburg for manufacturing electric vehicles as well as $700 million for a new plant in Woodruff to assemble battery units, the road to the future is here. And I applaud BMW on helping lead the way.”

    Zipse has previously expressed his doubts about the industry’s move toward an EV-only future:

    “When you look at the technology coming out, the EV push, we must be careful because at the same time, you increase dependency on very few countries,” Zipse said.

    “If someone cannot buy an EV for some reason but needs a car, would you rather propose he continues to drive his old car forever? If you are not selling combustion engines anymore, someone else will,” he added.

    Whatever misgivings Zipse has, it’s clearly not stopping BMW from moving full speed ahead.

  • New York to Require Zero Emission Passenger Vehicles by 2035

    New York to Require Zero Emission Passenger Vehicles by 2035

    New York has joined California in requiring that all new passenger vehicles sold in the state be zero emissions by 2035.

    In late August, California became the first US state to ban gasoline-powered passenger vehicles, effective 2035. New York has now followed suit, putting the same deadline on the transition.

    “New York is a national climate leader and an economic powerhouse, and we’re using our strength to help spur innovation and implementation of zero-emission vehicles on a grand scale,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “With sustained state and federal investments, our actions are incentivizing New Yorkers, local governments, and businesses to make the transition to electric vehicles. We’re driving New York’s transition to clean transportation forward, and today’s announcement will benefit our climate and the health of our communities for generations to come.”

    As part of the mandate, Governor Hochul directed the State Department of Environmental Conservation to begin the regulatory process. The move was met with praise across a range of climate, conservation, and energy groups.

    “Governor Hochul is demonstrating her sustained commitment to the successful implementation of the Climate Act and ensuring all New Yorkers benefit from the State’s actions to address climate change,” said Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner and Climate Action Council Co-Chair Basil Seggos. “DEC will continue to work under her direction to rapidly issue this regulation and reach another milestone in the transition from fossil fuels so that more people, businesses, and governments will have the ZEV options to meet their needs and help improve the health of their communities.”

  • Honda Cutting Production by 40% in Japanese Plants

    Honda Cutting Production by 40% in Japanese Plants

    Honda is the latest automaker to be hit with supply chain issues, cutting production at two Japanese plants by up to 40%.

    The auto industry has been especially hard hit by the semiconductor shortage and supply chain issues. Companies have had to scale back production, cannibalize some models to finish others, and ship some vehicles without their full complement of electronics.

    Honda is the latest to have issues, according to Reuters, and is cutting production as a result. In early October, the company plans to reduce production by 40% on two lines at its Suzuka plant in western Japan. The plant in the Saitama prefecture will reduce production by roughly 30%.

    In the meantime, Honda plans to reduce its Saitama production by 40% in September while also reducing Suzuka production by 20% for the rest of the month.

    Honda’s announcement illustrates the ongoing challenges automakers are facing, even as much of the world is rushing to return to normal. It’s still unclear how long supply chain issues will last or when automakers will be back to full production.

  • GM’s Cruise Robotaxi Service Hits a Speed Bump

    GM’s Cruise Robotaxi Service Hits a Speed Bump

    General Motors’ Cruise has hit a speed bump, forced to recall its robotaxis just a day after getting authorization to operate them in California.

    Like many companies, GM and Cruise are racing to develop autonomous vehicle capabilities. Cruise scored an early victory over its rivals, becoming the first to receive the green light to operate in California.

    According to TheStreet, however, the victory was short-lived. Just a day after receiving its authorization, a Cruise robotaxi was involved in an accident in which its autonomous systems were to blame.

    The company “is recalling certain automated driving systems (ADS),” according to documents filed with the National High Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). “The software may, in certain circumstances when making an unprotected left, cause the ADS to incorrectly predict another vehicle’s path or be insufficiently reactive to the sudden path change of a road user.”

    The news is a major setback for the autonomous vehicle company and further illustrates the challenges involved in making autonomous driving a reality.

  • California Votes to Ban New Gasoline Vehicle Sales by 2035

    California Votes to Ban New Gasoline Vehicle Sales by 2035

    California has become the first state in the US to ban the sale of new gasoline vehicles, effective 2035.

    According to CNBC, the policy will not prevent owners from utilizing their existing gasoline vehicles, nor will it prevent people from buying and selling used models. Nonetheless, the law is the first to ban the sale of new gasoline vehicles, marking the most aggressive shift toward hydrogen and electric vehicles (EVs) within the US.

    As interim goals, California has stipulated that 35% of new vehicles be battery or hydrogen-powered by 2026 and 68% by 2030. At the same time, the rule would allow up to 20% plug-hybrid sales by 2035, despite such vehicles still having a gasoline engine.

    While some are praising California for taking such a bold step, not everyone is convinced the state is taking the right path or that the infrastructure is ready to support a mass shift to EVs.

    “It’s a worthy goal, but may be unrealistic given the charging infrastructure and likely increasing demand for power,” Brian Moody, executive editor for Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader—Cox Automotive brands, said in a statement to WPN.

    ” While it sounds good on paper, unless there is a stipulation that the power for those electric cars be generated by clean sources, it doesn’t really have teeth. A more graduated approach might be better. It’s concerning that the conversation seems to be an inflexible ‘all or nothing’ approach without fully knowing the impact of battery recycling on a mass scale, as well as the recycling of solar panels. What would it look like if we had a 50% mix of electric and gasoline? As electric cars get more and more affordable, the market will get California to a certain adoption rate organically.”

  • Hyundai Secures Its Vehicles Systems With Sample Encryption Keys

    Hyundai Secures Its Vehicles Systems With Sample Encryption Keys

    In what may be one of the worst examples of cybersecurity, Hyundai is being called out for using example encryption keys for its security.

    Encryption keys are critical components of modern cryptography. The key used to decrypt sensitive information is supposed to be carefully and closely guarded.

    According to The Register, Hyundai’s programmers seemed to have missed the memo and instead used cryptographic keys found in publicly available programming tutorials.

    A developer, going by the handle “greenluigi1,” discovered he could overwrite Hyundai’s infotainment system with his own software thanks to Hyundai using publicly available crypto keys. Once he discovered them, it was a relatively simple matter trick the system into accepting his software as a valid update.

    The entire situation is a case study in bad programming, not to mention the danger drivers can be exposed to as a result. If a vehicle’s computer system is compromised, there’s no limit to the dangerous scenarios that can result if key parts of the vehicle’s software are replaced with malicious elements.

    As manufacturers create vehicles that are increasingly connected to the rest of the world, they’re going to have to do a much better job securing those vehicles — or Hyundai will need to, at the very least.

  • Tesla Raises Price of Full-Self-Driving Software to $15,000

    Tesla Raises Price of Full-Self-Driving Software to $15,000

    Tesla’s Full-Self-Driving (FSD) software has yet to fully live up to its name, but the company is still raising the price 25% to $15,000.

    Tesla is just one of many automakers racing to develop autonomous driving capabilities, but few others have a CEO that is so open about the company’s goals and timeframes. As TheStreet points out, Musk has famously said his company would roll out fully autonomous driving capabilities by the end of the year.

    In keeping with that goal, the company is deploying the latest FSD beta.

    Musk also says the price will increase 25%, from $12,000 to $15,000 for North American buyers.

  • Ford Plans to Cut 3,000 Jobs

    Ford Plans to Cut 3,000 Jobs

    Ford’s restructuring plans are coming into focus, with the automaker planning to cut 3,000 jobs.

    First reported by Automotive News and confirmed by TechCrunch, Ford is looking to restructure and reduce costs. The move comes as the company is increasingly transitioning to hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs), making some skill sets less desirable than they once were.

    “We absolutely have too many people in certain places. No doubt about it. And we have skills that don’t work anymore, and we have jobs that need to change,” CEO Jim Farley said in July 2022, via TechCrunch. “We have lots of new work statements that we’ve never had before. We are literally virtually reshaping our company, like every part of our company. And you know the ICE business, we want to simplify it, we want to make sure the skills we have and the works statements we have are as lean as possible. We know our costs are not competitive at Ford. That’s what I mean by we are not satisfied.”

    Earlier reports had put the number of job cuts as high as 8,000. Those reports indicated the layoffs would largely be in the company’s Ford Blue unit, responsible for internal combustion engine (ICE). In contrast, the company’s Ford Model e unit is dedicated to its EV development.

  • Don’t Want GM OnStar? Too Bad…GM Makes It a Mandatory Option

    Don’t Want GM OnStar? Too Bad…GM Makes It a Mandatory Option

    Car and trucker buyers shopping for some GM models, but wanting to avoid OnStar, are out of luck.

    GM OnStar is the company’s premium concierge service that provides navigation, hands-free calling, vehicle diagnostics, emergency services, and more. The service is normally a monthly subscription, although customers that didn’t want to pay it could always opt-out.

    Unfortunately, it appears GM is ending the opt-out option, making a three-year OnStar subscription a mandatory upgrade, according to GM Authority.

    “To enhance our customers’ vehicle ownership experience, beginning June 2, 2022, new retail Buick and GMC vehicles will include three years of OnStar and Connected Services Premium Plan,” a GM spokesperson told the outlet. “This offering provides our owners with a full suite of OnStar and Connected Services for three years, providing them with more time to enjoy services such as remote key fob, Wi-Fi data and OnStar safety services. By including this plan as standard equipment on the vehicle, it provides more customer value and a more seamless onboarding experience.”

    The service will also be a mandatory option for the 2023 Cadillac Escalade.

    “This offering provides our owners with a full suite of OnStar and Connected Services for three years, providing them with more time to enjoy services such as remote key fob, Wi-Fi data and OnStar safety services,” the spokesperson told GM Authority. “By including this plan as standard equipment on the vehicle, it provides more customer value and a more seamless onboarding experience.”

    The price of a three-year subscription for the majority of models comes in at $1,500, with a couple priced at $905 and a couple of other models priced at $1,675. As a result, for the majority of models, the base price will increase by $1,500.

  • Baidu Will Deploy Driverless Taxis in China

    Baidu Will Deploy Driverless Taxis in China

    Baidu is poised to become the first company to deploy driverless taxis in China after winning regulatory approval.

    Companies around the world are racing to develop and deploy driverless vehicles. Baidu just achieved a major step, gaining approval to operate driverless taxis in Wuhan and Chongqing, according to The Boston Globe.

    The company plans to work with additional cities, such as Beijing and Guangzhou, to gain approval to operate there as well.

    “It’s as if we’ve landed on the moon and built a base there,” said Wei Dong, vice-president of Baidu Intelligence Driving Group. “It’s just a matter of time for us to go to Mars or even beyond our solar system.”

    As the Globe points out, Baidu has been aggressively expanding from its search engine roots to artificial intelligence and self-driving vehicles. If the company is as successful with its driverless taxis as it has been in the search engine industry, it could quickly dominate the field in China.

  • Supply Chain Woes Leave GM With 95,000 Vehicles Waiting for Parts

    Supply Chain Woes Leave GM With 95,000 Vehicles Waiting for Parts

    Supply chain issues continue to plague the auto industry, with GM currently waiting for parts for some 95,000 vehicles.

    Since the early days of the pandemic, automakers have struggled to keep up with demand as semiconductors and other components have been in short supply. Despite the pandemic easing, the supply chain issues continue to be a major problem, with GM still not able to secure enough semiconductors.

    As a result, GM will hold about 95,000 vehicles manufactured without certain components in company inventory until they are completed and will recognize revenue when they are sold to dealers, which is expected to happen throughout the second half of 2022. The impact of these events, which is not expected to impact GM’s full-year earnings guidance, is discussed in an SEC Form 8-K filed today.

    Despite the news, the company is still bullish on its overall outlook, based on its past quarters and its upcoming lineup.

    “GM’s sales and market share have grown each of the last three quarters, even with lingering supply chain disruptions,” said Steve Carlisle, GM executive vice president and president, North America. “Our long-term momentum will continue to build thanks to the launches of groundbreaking new EVs like the GMC HUMMER EV and Cadillac LYRIQ, and the tremendous customer response to the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra.”

  • GM Will Double Its Super Cruise Network

    GM Will Double Its Super Cruise Network

    GM is expanding its hands-free driving technology, Super Cruise, so it can be used on hundreds of thousands of miles of additional roads.

    Super Cruise is GM’s hands-free driving system and has received generally positive reviews, often scoring points over rival Tesla’s system. The company is now doubling the scope of Super Cruise in the US and Canada, adding hundreds of thousands of miles of roads.

    Super Cruise uses a combination of LiDAR map data, radar, GPS, and real-time cameras to provide a hands-free driving experience. “Sensor fusion” combines these various features and abilities to create a sensory field around the vehicle.

    The system is capable of pacing and distancing, and even changing lanes and passing at the behest of the driver or the system itself.

    “GM is all in when it comes to accessible advanced driver assistance technology. We are adding Super Cruise to more vehicles than ever, and on more roads for more customers to experience,” said Mario Maiorana, GM chief engineer, Super Cruise. “We are pursuing what we believe to be the most comprehensive path to autonomy in the industry with responsible deployment of automated driving technology like Super Cruise at the core of what we do.”

  • GM Targets 1 Million EVs by 2025

    GM Targets 1 Million EVs by 2025

    GM is continuing its efforts to convert to an electric vehicle (EV) lineup, securing supply lines to help it hit 1 million EVs by 2025.

    Like many automakers, GM has been heavily investing in EV development. At the beginning of the year, the company announced plans to invest $7 billion in four Michigan plants in an effort to speed up EV production. Similarly, CEO Mary Barra said the company could eventually top Tesla in the EV market.

    GM has taken a significant step toward that goal, signing long-term agreements with both LG Chem Ltd and Livent Corp for the materials necessary to create EV batteries.

    Livent will supply GM with battery-grade lithium hydroxide over a six-year period, starting in 2025.

    “We are building a strong, sustainable, scalable and secure supply chain to help meet our fast-growing EV production needs,” said Jeff Morrison, GM vice president, Global Purchasing and Supply Chain. “We will further localize the lithium supply chain in North America over the course of the agreement. In addition, it is aligned with our approach to responsible sourcing and supply chain management and demonstrates our commitment to strong supplier relationships.”

    “Importantly, GM now has contractual commitments secured with strategic partners for all battery raw material to support our goal of 1 million units of EV capacity by the end of 2025,” added Morrison

    LG Chem, on the other hand, will supply GM with more than 950,000 tons of Cathode Active Material (CAM), starting in the second half of 2022 and continuing through 2030.

    GM is working with both companies to help localize production in North America to the extent possible.

  • Detroit Is Running Out of Vehicles

    Detroit Is Running Out of Vehicles

    Detroit is the latest casualty of the global semiconductor shortage, with the hub of US automakers running out of vehicles.

    The Washington Post published a report on the state of the US auto industry, and specifically the state of Motor City. Detroit has long been the home of the top three US automakers, Ford, GM, and Chrysler. Despite its importance to the industry, not even Detroit is immune to the current challenges.

    Semiconductors have been in short supply since the onset of the pandemic. Early lockdowns hurt production at a time when demand reached all-new highs as people worked from home, relied on remote learning, and turned to video games for in-home entertainment. The rise of crypto mining also helped drive up demand.

    The end result is a wide range of industries struggling to keep up production because there are too few semiconductors to go around. The auto industry has been especially hard hit, with virtually every major automaker scaling back production, cannibalizing various models to complete others, and generally taking any number of extreme measures to maintain some semblance of normality.

    Despite those measures, automakers are still falling behind, and it’s being felt in the one place many thought it never would be, with dealership inventory running low and prices skyrocketing for the vehicles that are available.

    “This is an auto manufacturing city. It shouldn’t be short of cars,” said cabdriver Benyam Tesfasion.

    “It may be the biggest disruption we’ve seen since the 1970s and the fuel crisis,” said Matt Anderson, a transportation historian at Dearborn’s Henry Ford museum complex.

    Unfortunately, there’s still no immediate end in sight, despite countless efforts to address the shortage. Until production can catch up with demand, Detroid may have to become accustomed to fewer cars and higher prices, just like the rest of the country.

  • Apple Has Filed Nearly 250 Automotive Patents

    Apple Has Filed Nearly 250 Automotive Patents

    In its push for the Apple Car, Apple has applied for 248 patents related to automotive development.

    Apple’s bid to create the Apple Car, code-named Project Titan, is an open secret in the industry. Numerous automakers have been rumored to be in talks with the Cupertino company to build the Apple Car, although nothing has been confirmed. That hasn’t stopped Apple from pushing ahead, with Nikkei Asia reporting on the company’s trove of automotive patents.

    According to the report, Apple’s patents fall into a number of categories, including battery and heat management, connectivity, self-driving, interior comfort, and communication and navigation.

    It appears that Apple’s automotive-related patents began to increase in 2008, following the release of the iPhone. Many of the early patents focus on connectivity between phone and car. Later, however, the nature of the patents began to shift to ones more directly related to vehicle function, especially autonomous driving.

    No one knows when an Apple Car may finally debut, despite plenty of speculation on the topic. More recent reports indicate the Project Titan team has shifted its focus from a limited self-driving approach to developing a fully autonomous vehicle.

  • Ford May Lay Off 8,000 to Fund EV Development

    Ford May Lay Off 8,000 to Fund EV Development

    Ford may be preparing to lay off 8,000 employees as the automaker pivots to the electric vehicle (EV) market.

    Ford has been working to transition its lineup to hybrid and EVs, with the Mustang Mach-E even toppling Tesla’s Model 3 in Consumer Reports’ ranking. According to Bloomberg, the company is now planning on cutting 8,000 jobs in an effort to help fund its continued EV transition.

    The cuts will primarily be in the Ford Blue unit, the division responsible for internal combustion engine development. There will also be cuts to other salaried positions throughout the company.

    The news is not particularly surprising, with CEO Jim Farley warning the company had too many people.

    “We have too many people,” Farley said in February, at a Wolfe Research auto conference. “This management team firmly believes that our ICE and BEV portfolios are under-earning.”

    Bloomberg reached out to Ford for comment. Although it declined to comment on layoffs, its spokesperson did say the company is continuing to realign to focus on EVs.

    “As part of this, we have laid out clear targets to lower our cost structure to ensure we are lean and fully competitive with the best in the industry,” Chief Communications Officer Mark Truby said in a statement.

  • Volkswagen and STMicro Partner to Design New Automotive Semiconductors

    Volkswagen and STMicro Partner to Design New Automotive Semiconductors

    Volkwagen and STMicro are working together to design new semiconductors for automobiles in a bid to ease the chip shortage.

    Automakers have been struggling to keep up with demand as semiconductors are in short supply. The problem has been exacerbated by the increasing complexity of vehicles, especially with the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). According to International Business Times, Volkswagen and STMicro are designing new chips that will be manufactured by TSMC.

    “With the planned direct cooperation with ST and TSMC, we are actively shaping our entire semiconductor supply chain,” said Murat Aksel, Volkswagen’s purchasing head.

    “We’re ensuring the production of the exact chips we need for our cars and securing the supply of critical microchips for years to come.”

    Interestingly, the new partnership will not impact Volkwagen’s Cariad software unit, which has an existing deal with Qualcomm.

  • Want to Use Your BMW’s Heated Seats? That Will Cost $18 Per Month.

    Want to Use Your BMW’s Heated Seats? That Will Cost $18 Per Month.

    If you thought software subscriptions were a bad thing, wait until you buy your next BMW and have to pay $18 per month to use your heated seats.

    The software development industry helped popularize the subscription model. In theory, users are far more willing to pay a few dollars a month than a single large purchase. Evidently, not content with charging users tens of thousands of dollars for buying a car, many auto manufacturers are adopting the subscription approach, with BWM already proving to be the worst offender.

    According to The Verge, the automaker is charging a subscription for heated seats in the UK, Germany, New Zealand, and South Africa, although it remains to be seen when the change will make its way to the US and other countries. This isn’t the first such subscription feature, with the company transitioning several high-end features to a subscription model since 2020.

    As The Verge points out, the company is not exactly touting the change, given how much its customers have been condemning the practice. It’s one thing to charge a subscription for a feature that legitimately does require ongoing upkeep, such as navigation system updates, but it’s an entirely different thing to charge an ongoing fee to unlock hardware that is already built into the vehicle.

    With the cheapest BMW starting at nearly $40,000, and the most expensive model topping $135,000, it’s hard to see BMW’s plans as anything other than unmitigated greed and a desire to nickel and dime its customers for everything it can.

  • Apple’s Autonomous Vehicle May Be Stuck in the Slow Lane

    Apple’s Autonomous Vehicle May Be Stuck in the Slow Lane

    Apple’s autonomous vehicle, Project Titan, seems to be experiencing issues and may be stuck in the slow lane, according to a new report.

    Apple has reportedly been working on an autonomous vehicle for years, with the project changing leadership, changing direction, and struggling to gain traction. According to The Information, via International Business Times, the company’s latest efforts are not going well.

    People working on the project said Apple’s test cars are struggling with even basic tasks, hitting curbs, not staying in the correct lane, and almost hitting a jogger that was legally crossing a road.

    The sources indicated the constant turnover and leadership changes, not to mention the changing goals of the project, have contributed to the issues the team is facing. For example, reports indicate there was quite a bit of uncertainty about whether the Apple Car would be a more traditional vehicle with only modest self-driving abilities or whether it would be a fully autonomous vehicle. It appears that was only settled in late 2020, with the company opting for the latter approach.

    It’s unusual for Apple to struggle to bring a product to market, but its troubles are an indication of the inherent challenges involved in creating something as complex as an autonomous vehicle.

  • Tesla Software Update Brings Rough Road and Pothole Scanning

    Tesla Software Update Brings Rough Road and Pothole Scanning

    Tesla is taking another step to improving its Full Self-Driving (FSD) with a new software update that detects rough roads and potholes and adjusts accordingly.

    Tesla has been working to improve FSD as other manufacturers develop their own autonomous driving solutions. A major feature all manufacturers have to provide is the ability for autonomous driving software to recognize and respond to poor road conditions.

    According to Electrek, Tesla’s latest software update is moving in this direction, even if it doesn’t yet achieve Elon Musk’s prediction from 2020 when he said Tesla Autopilot would eventually create mini-maps of known potholes and avoid them.

    Nonetheless, the latest software update does try to recognize rough roads and adjust the suspension system to maintain comfort and reduce the risk of damage to the vehicle.

    Tesla Adaptive Suspension will now adjust ride height for an upcoming rough road section. This adjustment may occur at various locations, subject to availability, as the vehicle downloads rough road map data generated by Tesla vehicles.

    The company also provided instructions on how to activate the new feature, provided the vehicle in question has adaptive suspension:

    The instrument cluster will continue to indicate when the suspension is raised for comfort. To enable this feature, tap Controls > Suspension > Adaptive Suspension Damping, and select the Comfort or Auto setting.

  • Volkswagen CEO: ‘I’m Not Sure Apple Will Bring Cars to Market’

    Volkswagen CEO: ‘I’m Not Sure Apple Will Bring Cars to Market’

    Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess cast doubt on Apple’s car plans, questioning whether the company really plans to bring a model to market.

    Apple has long been rumored to be working on its own Apple Car, codenamed “Project Titan.” There’s been leaked specs, rumored manufacturing partners, and proposed release dates. Despite the momentum that appears to be building for an Apple Car, Diess isn’t convinced, according to Reuters.

    “I’m not sure if Apple will actually bring cars to the market in the end. It would be a big effort,” Diess said at the hub.berlin technology conference in Berlin. Diess did clarify that he believed Apple wants to be part of the car cockpit market with its software.

    As any tech journalist will confirm, prognosticating Apple’s next moves are an exercise in error and frustration. The company is notoriously secretive about its plans.

    That being said, the evidence is certainly not lining up with Diess’ comments. The latest reports suggest the company, under project lead Kevin Lynch, is focusing on a full self-driving model for release in 2025. The company had waffled back and forth between a conservative approach, with only limited self-driving, and a fully autonomous vehicle. The latter approach appears to have won out, at least to the degree anyone from the outside looking in can be sure.

    Ultimately, only time will tell if Diess is correct or if Apple will try to revolutionize yet another industry.