To The Moon

A December 2022 report suggested that Apple will no longer target full autonomy, include a steering wheel, and launch sometime in 2026 at the earliest.$Apple(AAPL)$

"Apple Car" features and testingSelf-Driving Systems

Kept under the "Project Titan" name due to its closeness to the original car-design concept, Apple's work on self-driving vehicle systems has been the most prominent element of the entire scheme.

Unlike the designs, which are brought up in patent filings and rumors, it is actively known Apple has developed and tested a self-driving system, one that has appeared in public filings with government regulators, and has even been spotted on public roads.

In an early public admission of its automotive ambitions, Apple, ina statementissued to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in November 2016, proposed a policy update that would grant industry newcomers the same opportunities as established manufacturers when it comes to testing on public roads.

Then-director of product integrity at Apple Steve Kenner said the Federal Automated Vehicles Policy paved a safe and flexible path toward the development of automated vehicles, but suggested proposed regulations could be more open for companies new to the industry.

On April 14, 2017, the California Department of Motor Vehicles added Apple to the list of companiesgranted permission to test self-driving vehicles in the state, a sign that Apple could still be working on "Project Titan" and "Apple Car."

The granting of the Autonomous Vehicle Testing Permitallowed Apple to take a self-driving car onto public roads, with companies unable to legally perform such testing without the permit. Apple is believed to have met with the state's DMV in 2015, possibly in a discussion of gaining permission for on-the-road testing, but continued testing on private property at the time.

Apple's initial permit covered three vehicles, all Lexus RX540h SUVs, with six drivers serving as a backup in case the onboard systems encounter problems. Considering the use of Lexus SUVs, it is probable that Apple is testing just its sensing and AI technology, rather than an entirely new vehicle.

One reason for using existing vehicles for these tests is that driving an "Apple Car" that Apple has created would spoil the surprise for its launch. Publicly showing off a new vehicle design would also directly hand ideas to other car manufacturers, potentially allowing them to innovate on Apple's car before it is unveiled.

Training gear used for testing the self-driving module of a potential “Apple Car”

As part of its application to the California DMV for permission to test self-driving cars, Apple provided the government agency with documents meant to train potential safety drivers, before the vehicles are taken out onto public roads.

The "Development Platform Specific Training" documents revealed the drivers must pass basic tests before being allowed to set off, with the tests ranging from basic maneuvering to vehicle systems intervention. This includes low-speed and high-speed driving, U-turns, sudden steering input, sudden acceleration, braking, and managing "conflicting turn signal and action" events.

CAR AND DRIVER COUNTS

As of January 2018, the state of California permitted Apple to have27 self-driving carsrunning on public roads. While a huge leap from the three Lexus vehicles from April 2017, it is was still far behind the large fleets operated by competing firms.

By March 2018, the fleet grew to45 vehicleson California roads. The following May, the figures reached55 test vehiclesand 83 authorized drivers, and in July, Apple was registered with the California DMV to bring the fleet up to66 cars, before peaking at 72 vehicles and 144 drivers in November 2018.

In April 2019, data from the California DMV indicated Apple had 69 vehicles and 110 drivers, areductionin the numbers.

The followingAugust, the same data source showed Apple as having 143 registered pilots, though not the number of cars being used.

In February 2018, the California DMV received approvalfrom the California Office of Administrative Law to set regulations in place to allow companies to test remotely operated autonomous vehicles on public roads. From April 2, the DMV's public testing framework allows for self-driving cars to go on the road without a driver behind the wheel, instead of requiring human "remote" drivers. The remote drivers would monitor the vehicle using a communications link, ready to take control of the car from the onboard systems in the event of an emergency.

TESTBEDS AND SENSORS

One of the Lexus used to test Apple’s self-driving systems being developed for “Apple Car”

The first sightings of a vehicle used by Apple for its self-driving car test surfaced in late April 2017,spotteddeparting an Apple facility.

The initial tests, as anticipated in DMV records, involved adding extra equipment to a pre-existing vehicle. The images confirmed the use of a Lexus RX450h, colored in white, with a number of extra items bolted onto the car.

On the SUV's roof was a Velodyne LiDAR 64-channel unit, bolted to a custom frame, and radar arrays are mounted onto the front and rear bumpers. Cameras in protective housings surround the car's exterior, providing the self-driving system with a 360-degree view of its surroundings.

While the testing documents advised of the use of a Logitech steering wheel and pedal system, the test vehicle itself did not appear to use the items at all. This suggested the extra wheel was just for evaluation purposes, or that Apple has managed to get its self-driving technology working with Lexus' onboard systems, leaving the steering wheel free to be used by the test driver.

A road user spotted what could be an updated version of Apple's self-driving testbed on August 25 the same year. The vehicle was reportedly parked outside of an Apple office in Sunnyvale, California.

It appeared from the photographs that Apple is using the 2016-2017 Lexus RX450h, a newer model of the 2015-edition vehicle previously used for testing. A change in the positioning of the equipment to fit entirely on the roof of the vehicle was spotted at the time, with upgrades and a new look also applied to the testbed.

Though difficult to specify what equipment is being used, it seemed that Apple used a Puck LiDAR sensor from Velodyne, a 16-channel unit that can log 300,000 points per second at a range of up to 100 meters. A total of 14 Pucks appeared to be mounted to the car, with four facing forward, two behind, and two at each corner.$Velodyne Lidar Inc(VLDR)$

Efforts are being stepped up with regards to sensors, with anApril 2019report indicating the company is in talks with component suppliers making parts that could be used in self-driving systems. Apple has reportedly talked to multiple LiDAR sensor suppliers and is apparently evaluating technology on offer while simultaneously working on its own LiDAR hardware.

While this research is more for testing at the moment, the talks could also relate to future manufacturing efforts, including making smaller components that could shrink down the overall collection of sensors to a more manageable size, possibly to one that could be more easily integrated into the "Apple Car's" design.

A patent, granted in late 2020,detailedhow the front windshield would include a notch to make room for sensors. This is similar to how Apple has approached the notch on iPhones withFace ID.

Patented Design

Apple's patent applications also cover the design of elements of vehicles. While this can include more pedestrian areas, such as power train systems, this also steps into redesigning essential concepts in vehicular design, rethinking basic elements in unusual ways.

Thesunroofof an "Apple Car" could be set to slide a large glass panel, but in such a way that it remains central despite the car framework and tracks diverting away in non-parallel lines. Amulti-segmented sunroofwith independent sliding and lifting sections has also been proposed.

A headlight system couldhighlight road hazardsfor drivers, such as by using an "illuminated indicator" shown next to an obstacle, or specifically illuminating sections of the road.

Ananti-glare systemfor the windscreen could protect drivers from bright lights by dimming or blocking out parts of the glass while leaving the rest transparent.

Continuing the theme of lights, Apple has suggested alternative ways toilluminatethe inside of a car. These have ranged fromfiber optic systemsto an interior lighting system usingbandpass filtersto offer privacy, by making it hard for onlookers to see into a vehicle.

TrueTone technologyborrowed from other Apple hardware could also be employed to ensure there is even internal lighting inside of the car.

The seats and seatbelts have received particular attention from Apple, such as the use of asmart seatbeltthat could control CarPlay devices.Illuminated seatscould inform users of how to adjust them for comfort or simply to buckle up.

Proposed light patterns from the illuminated car seat patent application

Even the doors have been worked over, including versions withwide openingsthat remove the center pillar,sliding doors, and the use offorce-feedback hinges.

Retractable bumperscould help keep the vehicle pristine for longer, by using inflatable sections to cushion the blow from impacts.

On the more pedestrian side, a patent application from 2018 showed Apple was keen on designing a "converter infrastructure" for using high-voltage sources for lower-voltage systems. Abattery floorhas also been designed.

The use of electricity can allow for unusual use cases, such as a peloton of cars that couldshare powerwith each other.

Wireless charging systems, including one idea where asmall roboton the floor plugs the charging cable underneath the car, have also been proposed.

Innovations such as ultra-wideband radios included in theiPhone 11could also be used, such as toprovide keyless entry.

Apple has explored using various external displays to tell others what the car intends to do. For example, a rear display might say "reversing" when the car is backing up.

Apple is believed to be working on the secret automotive project at a facility known as "SG5" in Sunnyvale, Calif., under the cover of a shell company named "SixtyEight Research."

According to reports as of October 2016, Apple seems to be scaling back on the project to focus on self-driving technology – specifically giving it the opportunity to either partner with an existing automaker or return to developing the "Apple Car" later on.

Sources exclusively told AppleInsider in 2015 work was underway at a site located off of Apple's Cupertino campus, just minutes from 1 Infinite Loop. An investigation confirmed that Apple did indeed have a large presence at the location, and numerous automotive-related renovations, including an "auto work area" and a "repair garage" that was constructed at the premises.

source：https://appleinsider.com/inside/apple-car#apple-car-features-and-testing