Apple’s Self-Driving Car, First Pictures Out
Apple obtained permission to begin testing its self driving vehicle technology in California and Bloomberg is the first to obtain the pictures of the vehicle used by Apple to test its autonomous car technology. The vehicle was captured on Silicon Valley roads.
Apple is using Lexus RX450h SUV, outfitted with many sensors and cameras. The sensors are supposed to be bought from other companies rather than self designed by Apple. It includes Velodyne Lidar Inc’s 64-channel lidar, with two radars and a series of cameras.
Since apple is using hardware from other companies, it shows that Apple’s focus in not on building hardware or a car, but it’s on software side of self driving cars.
Not just Apple, Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo and startup Zoox Inc. are using Lexus RX450 models by Toyota Motor Corp for testing their self driving car technology.
Earlier this month, Apple got its name added to the list of companies with Autonomous Vehicle Testing Permits on the Department Of Motor Vehicles website in California, 2 years after the report of Apple testing self driving car technology. California, till now has granted permits to 30 companies including tech players, startups, carmakers and automotive suppliers.
The lawmakers are still working over the legislation that will allow the testing of autonomous cars without a driver, though the ability to driving it from a distance would be required.
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