Recently, rumors about Apple’s self-driving EV (commonly known as Apple car) have suddenly become reality, but it is reported that the CEO of Volkswagen Group said that he was “not afraid” of Apple car.
“The automotive industry isn’t a typical tech field that can be taken with a single blow,” Herbert Dice said in a local media interview. “Apple can’t dominate overnight.”
On the table, Apple has never approved the entry into self-driving EVs, and there is only circumstantial evidence such as news media reports and testimonies of related companies. However, Dice commented that those reports and rumors are “logical” because Apple has expertise in batteries, software, and design. “Still, we are not afraid,” he said.
Based in Germany, Volkswagen is one of the largest automakers in Europe and the world, and has a significant advantage in the EV industry. For that reason, at the end of last year (2020), even when rumors about Apple cars emerged, he made a generous comment saying, “I hope to accelerate the transformation of the automobile industry.”
Apple is a fabless company that does not have its own factory and uses external suppliers such as TSMC and Foxconn to manufacture iPhones and Macs. However, not all current partners have the technology and factories to produce cars, so it seems that existing car makers are looking for a Foxconn-like role in the iPhone, that is, a partner who is dedicated to subcontracting assembly. Has been done.
The first rumored alliance was Hyundai in South Korea and Kia Motor Co., Ltd. However, it is rumored that the executives are “splitting” in fear of being placed in the position of Apple’s assembly supplier, and it is speculated that the negotiations actually ended in a farewell.
In connection with this Dice CEO’s remark, Palm’s CEO, who once won the hegemony in the smartphone industry, said before the iPhone was released that “it is not enough to just enter”, and what happened to Palm after that Some have pointed out. In addition to Nissan and BMW, contract manufacturers such as Magna are also candidates as partners of Apple Car, and We would like to watch the future development whether Volkswagen’s position will not be shaken in the future or whether the same fate as Palm awaits.