The manufacturer based in Cupertino, California, telephones, computers and soon watches is exploring how to make a complete vehicle, not only the design of automotive software or individual components, the source of the automotive industry.
"They do not seem to want a lot of help from the automakers," said the source, who requested anonymity.
Apple is collecting tips on parts and production methods, focusing on technologies and connected electric cars, while studying the possibilities of automatic driving, according to the source.
"The fully automated driving is an evolution. Automakers will slowly build autonomous cars market for cars first release connected and partially automated," said the source of the automotive industry. "Apple is interested in all possible ways that can evolve the car, that includes autonomous driving."
If you build and launch an electric car or an autonomous vehicle more evolved remains to be seen, the source said.
But it is clear that Apple has dramatically raised its ambitions in automotive technology. Car technology has become a prime area of interest for Silicon Valley companies ranging from Google Inc (GOOGL.O), which has built a self-driving car prototype, to electric carmaker Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA.O).
An Apple spokesman in London on Saturday refused to comment on "rumors or speculation."
Trying to build a real car would mark a dramatic change for the manufacturer of the iPhone and iPad. Apple investigates often projects are then discarded, but has so far mainly stuck to their core expertise in mobile and electronic devices.
The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Apple has created a secret lab working on building an electric car of the Apple brand, citing people familiar with the matter. The laboratory was established late last year, shortly after Apple unveiled its next smart watch and latest iPhones, the Financial Times said.
The Journal said the Apple project, codenamed "Titan", employ several hundred people working a few miles from Apple's headquarters in Cupertino.
Apple executives met with contract manufacturers including Magna Steyr in Austria, a unit of Magna International (MG.TO), the Journal said. A Magna spokesman declined to comment.
THE ROAD CARS self-driving
Autonomous driving is likely to emerge progressively as the driver assistance systems become more sophisticated.
Already, automakers like Daimler (DAIGn.DE), BMW (BMWG.DE) and (VOWG_p.DE) Audi Volkswagen (NSUG.DE) have revealed the cars that can travel long distances without human intervention.
The Exane BNP Paribas analysts have said they see a market $ 25 billion for automatic driving technology in 2020 with the vehicle intelligence become "the key differentiating factor". But the brokerage does not expect the fully automated cars hit the road until 2025 or 2030, partly due to regulatory hurdles.
Short of building entire cars, there is money to be made from the software to run a self-driving as well as services associated with autonomous driving, such as mapping, car sharing and car services use vehicle recharging said auto source.
"It is a set of software. It's all about autonomous driving," said the industry source.
Apple may be taking place mainly in the automotive industry experience rather than full-scale partnerships with established car companies.
Follow your Apple soon-to-be-released, the company had remained limited with Swiss watchmakers talks, but no broad-based alliance emerged from the talks.
Instead of associations, Apple continued to go individualistic strategy and turned to poaching talent from top brands of watches.
Two different sources have told Reuters that Apple has tried to recruit experts from the automotive industry in areas such as robotics. REUTERS
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