Rumors of Apple developing a car have been floating around for nearly a decade now; Advanced Tech World suggests that the initial idea was created in 2008.

Over recent weeks interest has spiked in what is allegedly known as Project Titan according to the Financial Times. The stars are seemingly aligning with multiple stories, all happening close to one another. At the start of September, Verve Times reported that Apple bought Chrysler's Proving Grounds in Arizona under a subsidiary company, which as well as having a comprehensive road network, has a large oval that is perfect for high-speed tests.

This week rumors have grown again, with Tom's Guide reporting that Apple is advertising for a "Radar Test Engineer," a pivotal team member in the development of an autonomous car. With very little information on the Project Titan being confirmed, speculation on what segment Apple would enter has been varied between vehicles that resemble a saloon-like a Tesla Model S or Porsche Taycan, SUV like the Tesla Model X to an all-electric hypercar like Rimac produce.

With electric cars still being luxury vehicles due to the cost of batteries, all of these would make sense, and various concepts are floating around for each. However, being based in Silicone Valley means that Elon Musk's Tesla will automatically be a prime competitor. But the Apple Eve is the most high-end and in keeping with the brand's history of being at the top of whatever market it enters.

The Apple Eve is a speculative sports car that is beginning to look more likely than ever before.

The Apple Eve Has A Hypercar's Exterior

Apple Eve Rear
Via: Apple

In 2017, Motor1.com reported on a rendering referred to as the Apple Eve Concept; it gained traction across numerous outlets and, at first glance, seems like what Apple might do for their entry into the car market.

Apple has long positioned itself as the best technology brand with their inflated retail pricing on products like the iPhone, iPad, and Mac which all have cheaper yet comparably capable competition. As a purveyor of exclusive luxury goods, the brand's first car would have to be exciting, unusable on a day-to-day basis whilst looking flashy and futuristic. The rendering which was produced by Alex Imnadze, who has a plethora of designs published on their personal Instagram.

The Eve is an all-electric autonomous supercar with a styling hint taken from the XJ220 it looks like a hypercar lifted from a video game. The side profile is reminiscent of a Lamborghini Aventador, and from the front quarter view, it has the flare of a McLaren. These different aesthetics meld together to form a sleek and futuristic car which is showcased in the silver paint harks back to concept cars from the turn of the millennium, where silver denoted the future.

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A Next Generation Of Personal Assistant

Apple CarPlay
Via: Flickr

The arrival date for the Apple Car, whatever guise it eventually comes to market in, appears to be somewhat flexible. In 2020 The Guardian reported that the self-driving car would come to market in 2024. They go on to say that when staff member Doug Field returned from a stint at Tesla to reorganize the design team, 190 staff members were laid-off.

Apple's most prominent entry into the car space has been with the software behind Apple CarPlay, which enables increased connectivity between infotainment systems and mobile firms. With its first release in 2014, this may have been a product of Project Titan, which, according to The Guardian, seriously began development in 2014. It would be safe to say that the technology from Apple CarPlay would be translated into their road vehicle.

With the iOS devices, Apple has always been keen to enable connectivity between devices with calendar synchronization, easy file sharing, and Apple ID; the car would be a logical next step in the company's ambition to provide their users with an Apple lifestyle.

Peugeot's Instinct Concept proposed ways of utilizing interconnected devices and the car to continue playback of music, making travel suggestions based on their calendar, and responding to the driver's needs based on health data. Apple is probably the only company with a broad enough ecosystem to produce a car that truly unifies a driver's life as a next-generation personal assistant.

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Potential Partnerships For The Apple Eve Sports Car

2022 Hyundai Tucson
Via: Hyundai

All of the brand's technological efforts require serious partnerships with well-established brands before they can go their own way. The Apple Macbooks have run off Intel silicone for a long time until the launch of the M1 processor which enabled a whole host of usable functions and speed benefits due to a new ARM-based architecture.

Apple may have some of the deepest pockets in the technology sector. The Times reported that Tesla only began to operate at a profit in 2020 with successive quarters being in the black. To prevent catastrophic losses the company would search for partners, a common practice in the car industry, and there has been much speculation on who that will be. Investor Place suggested that it might be Canoo, Luminar Technologies, Aeva, Foresight Autonomous or Chargepoint and that they would be wise stock investments. But the rumour mill spins a little further and in February this year, Reuters reported on a Nissan press release where the manufacturer confirmed they weren't in talks with Apple over a partnership.

The financial times reported that on the development side it wasn't going too well with test drivers having to intervene on average every 145 miles. Dazeinfo suggests that they have found partners in LG and Magna to produce a drivetrain and no potential rivals. However, there are conflicting reports with Apple Insider suggesting that a partnership with Hyundai is more likely to be announced, if this is the case something similar to the Apple Eve will never see the light of day, instead of a more practical saloon, hatchback or SUV will be a likely product in-keeping with Hyundai's line up.