The move shows that Apple is stepping up its efforts to roll out its first car that will be fully electric. It comes after years of pursuing the project and several setbacks, with the company completely abandoning the plan in 2016. With his experience, Taraborelli becomes one of the most senior managers of Apple’s EV team and brings some exotic-car panache to the effort.
He has worked on several Lamborghini models such as the Urus, Huracan, and Aventador, as well as with more limited models such as the Huracan Sterato off-road vehicle and the Asterion concept car.
This is not the first top management personnel to have been appointed to the position apple car Project. Earlier this year, Apple tapped a 31-year veteran of Ford Motor Co. to lead its vehicle-safety efforts. Last year, it hired Ulrich Kranz, former head of struggling electric-car maker Canoo Inc., and former leader of BMW’s electric-car business. Earlier, Apple enlisted Tesla Inc.’s former Autopilot chief Stuart Bowers to work on self-driving technology.
The Apple project involves hundreds of former engineers from Tesla and other car companies, including Rivian Automotive Inc., Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo, Volvo Cars AB and Mercedes-Benz Group AG. It also has former senior design executives on staff at Tesla, McLaren, Porsche and Aston Martin.
Apple and Lamborghini have some history together. In 2020, the carmaker released an Apple-based augmented reality feature to help people preview the Huracan EVO RWD Spyder. At the time, Apple’s head of marketing said that the company “cares deeply” about Lamborghini.
Apple’s first car: what to expect
As Bloomberg reports, the car will let the occupants of the limousine-like interiors face each other. Apple is working towards a car with a steering wheel and pedals, relying entirely on autonomous technology. Fully self-driving vehicles, however, may not be a viable idea at the company’s current schedule, believe some team members and industry watchers.
Apple Car will reportedly come with a high-powered chip that will be the most advanced component Apple has designed to date. It has neural processors to handle the massive AI load for an autonomous vehicle. the same company that makes the chips iPhoneiPad and Mac, TSMC is also expected to produce the chip for the Apple car.
While Apple has a long history of tech products and gadgets, it has no experience in manufacturing automobiles. Therefore, the company is seeking participation in the automobile industry. In January 2021, there were reports that Apple was in talks with Hyundai to jointly develop and produce self-driving electric cars.
In December 2020, Reuters reported that Apple was planning on a possible launch date of 2024, but analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that it would not be launched before 2025 and may not be launched until 2028 or later. .