Whether Apple will ever roll out the much discussed iCar is anyone’s guess given the tech giant’s very secretive approach to its future projects.
Things have been really quiet on the Apple iCar front recently and many analysts across the world believe the so-called ‘Project Titan’ is dead and the company has given up on building its first car.
Others, like Robert Cihra, don’t think Apple would be happy to simply supply autonomous technology to other companies. He believes the tech giant is more likely to make the car itself as that would give it more control over design and manufacturing. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo agrees and believes the company is still working on the iCar, which could launch anytime from 2023 to 2025.
Apple’s acquisition of autonomous vehicle startup Drive.AI in June 2019 certainly indicates the company is serious about self-driving tech. As for an actual car, some analysts believe Apple will not launch its own vehicle until the technology powering fully autonomous cars is proven and solid.
So what would Apple’s car look like when the stars finally align? We don’t really know, but independent designer Dejan Hristov has tried his best to envision it.
His Apple iCar packs advanced autonomous systems enabling traffic at much higher speeds, which explains the attention paid to aerodynamics. Notice the large openings for airflow at the front of the vehicle and the teardrop shape which is known to be the most aerodynamic.
The panels on the Apple iCar are made of an advanced material that would have to be transparent (from the inside), light, resistant and flexible while also providing good sound and thermal insulation. As a result, the panels would not be painted. The supporting structure of the gull-wing doors would also be made of a lightweight material such as carbon fiber.
The hypothetical iCar’s bubble-shaped cabin will ensure good visibility for the 4-5 passengers sitting on 180-degree rotating seats. Any of the front occupants could drive the car should they want to by using a joystick, though any major driver error will be corrected by the advanced autonomous system.
Note: The Apple iCar autonomous shuttle concept is an independently designed study that is not related to or endorsed by Apple in any way