據知情人士透露,由于研發工作仍然處于早期階段,距離蘋果公司(Apple)推出自家自動駕駛電動汽車,至少還要等上五年。
據悉,蘋果擁有一個由硬件工程師組成的小團隊,負責開發驅動系統、汽車內外車身設計,而最終目標只有一個:造車。與前幾年相比,現在這一目標更具野心——幾年之前,該項目僅專注于創建自動駕駛系統,而不是整車。蘋果為助力這個項目,還拉攏了特斯拉(Tesla)的前高管們加入。
盡管蘋果公司已經加快了步伐,但參與該項目的一些工程師認為,如果按照計劃進行,公司將在五到七年后才能推出新產品。一些不愿透露姓名的知情人士稱,蘋果汽車距離投產還很遠;不過他們也表示,時間線可能發生變化。目前,蘋果團隊的大部分成員或在家工作,或僅在有限的時間內到辦公室工作。因此公司開發整車的能力被迫削弱。對此,蘋果發言人拒絕置評。
蘋果汽車將與特斯拉的電動汽車、新興公司Lucid Motors以及戴姆勒(Daimler AG)旗下的梅賽德斯-奔馳(Mercedes-Benz)和通用汽車(General Motors Co.)旗下的雪佛蘭(Chevrolet)等老牌汽車產品展開競爭。蘋果和其他車企相比有一個關鍵的差異點:蘋果擁有整合其自動駕駛系統的能力——這一特性相當“燒錢”,蘋果必須得開發自己的軟件、傳感器硬件和芯片技術。據熟悉該項目的人士透露,蘋果的目標是:讓用戶輸入目的地之后,在幾乎零參與的情況下被準確無誤地送到那里。
蘋果一般不會參與自家產品的組裝生產,在汽車上,蘋果或許也會采取同樣的做法。目前尚不清楚哪家公司將負責組裝蘋果汽車。大約五年前,蘋果首次嘗試與大型汽車合約制造商麥格納國際公司(Magna International Inc.)的工程師合作。據路透社最近報道,蘋果計劃最早于2024年開始生產汽車。
知情人士表示,蘋果一直以來所研究的自動駕駛汽車系統服務的對象,是第三方合作車企,而不是蘋果自己。因此,蘋果最終有可能會再次放棄自家汽車研發工作,回到原來的路子上。
蘋果最初于2014年開始制造電動汽車,為此還雇傭了數百名硬件工程師。2016年左右,蘋果又大刀闊斧地對這一項目進行裁減,專注于自動駕駛汽車系統。從2016年到2019年,蘋果團隊裁減了數百名員工。但是,蘋果還是保留了一些在汽車零部件方面具有專業知識的硬件工程師,他們或留在汽車項目中,或投入到其他項目的研發。
幾個月前,蘋果將一名在汽車內外結構方面都有所成就的高管調入汽車團隊,這或許表明,蘋果已經重啟了電動汽車的開發。2019年,蘋果聘請了特斯拉的前工程副總裁史蒂夫?麥克馬納斯,但其最初參與的項目并非與造車相關。據知情人士透露,現在麥克馬納斯領導著一個由幾名員工組成的開發小組,專注于汽車內部結構、面料、汽車測試和汽車制造。據悉,他的上司是特斯拉的前首席汽車工程師道格?菲爾德,目前也在蘋果汽車部門工作。
蘋果最近還聘請了寶馬(BMW AG)、特斯拉及Alphabet Inc.旗下Waymo公司的汽車工程師喬納森?賽維擔任汽車項目的高級經理。2019年,蘋果聘用了特斯拉負責驅動系統的前副總裁邁克爾?施維庫施,越來越多的特斯拉前員工們加入了蘋果汽車部門。
據知情人士透露,2020年下半年,蘋果還聘請了特斯拉的另一位前副總裁:斯圖爾特?鮑爾斯。據LinkedIn的資料顯示,2019年年中之前,鮑爾斯一直在領導特斯拉的自動駕駛技術團隊,他還曾經在風險投資公司Greylock Partners擔任常駐高管。
目前,蘋果的汽車團隊由數十名特斯拉硬件和自動駕駛汽車前工程師組成。蘋果總共有數百名工程師在該項目工作,其中大多數人負責開發的是自動駕駛汽車系統,而非整車。
去年年底,蘋果將汽車項目移交給了人工智能主管約翰?詹安德里亞,這表明,該項目的大部分開發工作仍然停留在底層的自動化軟件上。
該項目的小硬件團隊正致力于研究和開發車輛動力學、驅動系統、安全力學和電池技術。據悉,蘋果還試圖重新設計汽車內部結構,以適應未來被動駕駛時代的情境。
最近幾個月,蘋果公司發布的招聘信息顯示,汽車團隊的崗位正在增加。蘋果正在尋找一名首席工程師,將“音頻驅動程序、調諧器、揚聲器、麥克風、有線總線、電源、無線通信和天線”集成到自動系統中。
另一份招聘啟事在尋找擁有LED照明經驗的工程師,以提供“經過全面驗證、可以量產的系統”。這也表明蘋果的自動化研發最終將走向量產的目標。此外,蘋果還公布了研發“高壓”電池系統的工程師名單,這是電動汽車的關鍵部件。
知情人士說,蘋果由約翰尼?斯洛基領導的芯片部門也在蘋果汽車的開發中發揮了作用。自2018年以來,斯洛基的團隊一直在開發基于ARM的定制芯片,重點關注機器學習處理,為底層的自動駕駛汽車系統提供支持。
自2017年以來,蘋果一直在公共道路上測試自動駕駛技術。2019年,蘋果的測試車輛平均行駛了約118英里,之后才交由人類駕駛員進行安全控制。根據加州機動車管理局(California Department of Motor Vehicles)的數據,這一數字要高于2018年的每行駛1英里就發生一次脫離的記錄。數據顯示,蘋果擁有66輛汽車,高于2018年年中獲得許可的55輛汽車。(財富中文網)
編譯:楊二一
據知情人士透露,由于研發工作仍然處于早期階段,距離蘋果公司(Apple)推出自家自動駕駛電動汽車,至少還要等上五年。
據悉,蘋果擁有一個由硬件工程師組成的小團隊,負責開發驅動系統、汽車內外車身設計,而最終目標只有一個:造車。與前幾年相比,現在這一目標更具野心——幾年之前,該項目僅專注于創建自動駕駛系統,而不是整車。蘋果為助力這個項目,還拉攏了特斯拉(Tesla)的前高管們加入。
盡管蘋果公司已經加快了步伐,但參與該項目的一些工程師認為,如果按照計劃進行,公司將在五到七年后才能推出新產品。一些不愿透露姓名的知情人士稱,蘋果汽車距離投產還很遠;不過他們也表示,時間線可能發生變化。目前,蘋果團隊的大部分成員或在家工作,或僅在有限的時間內到辦公室工作。因此公司開發整車的能力被迫削弱。對此,蘋果發言人拒絕置評。
蘋果汽車將與特斯拉的電動汽車、新興公司Lucid Motors以及戴姆勒(Daimler AG)旗下的梅賽德斯-奔馳(Mercedes-Benz)和通用汽車(General Motors Co.)旗下的雪佛蘭(Chevrolet)等老牌汽車產品展開競爭。蘋果和其他車企相比有一個關鍵的差異點:蘋果擁有整合其自動駕駛系統的能力——這一特性相當“燒錢”,蘋果必須得開發自己的軟件、傳感器硬件和芯片技術。據熟悉該項目的人士透露,蘋果的目標是:讓用戶輸入目的地之后,在幾乎零參與的情況下被準確無誤地送到那里。
蘋果一般不會參與自家產品的組裝生產,在汽車上,蘋果或許也會采取同樣的做法。目前尚不清楚哪家公司將負責組裝蘋果汽車。大約五年前,蘋果首次嘗試與大型汽車合約制造商麥格納國際公司(Magna International Inc.)的工程師合作。據路透社最近報道,蘋果計劃最早于2024年開始生產汽車。
知情人士表示,蘋果一直以來所研究的自動駕駛汽車系統服務的對象,是第三方合作車企,而不是蘋果自己。因此,蘋果最終有可能會再次放棄自家汽車研發工作,回到原來的路子上。
蘋果最初于2014年開始制造電動汽車,為此還雇傭了數百名硬件工程師。2016年左右,蘋果又大刀闊斧地對這一項目進行裁減,專注于自動駕駛汽車系統。從2016年到2019年,蘋果團隊裁減了數百名員工。但是,蘋果還是保留了一些在汽車零部件方面具有專業知識的硬件工程師,他們或留在汽車項目中,或投入到其他項目的研發。
幾個月前,蘋果將一名在汽車內外結構方面都有所成就的高管調入汽車團隊,這或許表明,蘋果已經重啟了電動汽車的開發。2019年,蘋果聘請了特斯拉的前工程副總裁史蒂夫?麥克馬納斯,但其最初參與的項目并非與造車相關。據知情人士透露,現在麥克馬納斯領導著一個由幾名員工組成的開發小組,專注于汽車內部結構、面料、汽車測試和汽車制造。據悉,他的上司是特斯拉的前首席汽車工程師道格?菲爾德,目前也在蘋果汽車部門工作。
蘋果最近還聘請了寶馬(BMW AG)、特斯拉及Alphabet Inc.旗下Waymo公司的汽車工程師喬納森?賽維擔任汽車項目的高級經理。2019年,蘋果聘用了特斯拉負責驅動系統的前副總裁邁克爾?施維庫施,越來越多的特斯拉前員工們加入了蘋果汽車部門。
據知情人士透露,2020年下半年,蘋果還聘請了特斯拉的另一位前副總裁:斯圖爾特?鮑爾斯。據LinkedIn的資料顯示,2019年年中之前,鮑爾斯一直在領導特斯拉的自動駕駛技術團隊,他還曾經在風險投資公司Greylock Partners擔任常駐高管。
目前,蘋果的汽車團隊由數十名特斯拉硬件和自動駕駛汽車前工程師組成。蘋果總共有數百名工程師在該項目工作,其中大多數人負責開發的是自動駕駛汽車系統,而非整車。
去年年底,蘋果將汽車項目移交給了人工智能主管約翰?詹安德里亞,這表明,該項目的大部分開發工作仍然停留在底層的自動化軟件上。
該項目的小硬件團隊正致力于研究和開發車輛動力學、驅動系統、安全力學和電池技術。據悉,蘋果還試圖重新設計汽車內部結構,以適應未來被動駕駛時代的情境。
最近幾個月,蘋果公司發布的招聘信息顯示,汽車團隊的崗位正在增加。蘋果正在尋找一名首席工程師,將“音頻驅動程序、調諧器、揚聲器、麥克風、有線總線、電源、無線通信和天線”集成到自動系統中。
另一份招聘啟事在尋找擁有LED照明經驗的工程師,以提供“經過全面驗證、可以量產的系統”。這也表明蘋果的自動化研發最終將走向量產的目標。此外,蘋果還公布了研發“高壓”電池系統的工程師名單,這是電動汽車的關鍵部件。
知情人士說,蘋果由約翰尼?斯洛基領導的芯片部門也在蘋果汽車的開發中發揮了作用。自2018年以來,斯洛基的團隊一直在開發基于ARM的定制芯片,重點關注機器學習處理,為底層的自動駕駛汽車系統提供支持。
自2017年以來,蘋果一直在公共道路上測試自動駕駛技術。2019年,蘋果的測試車輛平均行駛了約118英里,之后才交由人類駕駛員進行安全控制。根據加州機動車管理局(California Department of Motor Vehicles)的數據,這一數字要高于2018年的每行駛1英里就發生一次脫離的記錄。數據顯示,蘋果擁有66輛汽車,高于2018年年中獲得許可的55輛汽車。(財富中文網)
編譯:楊二一
Apple will take at least half a decade to launch an autonomous, electric vehicle because development work is still at an early stage, according to people with knowledge of the efforts.
The Cupertino, Calif.-based technology giant has a small team of hardware engineers developing drive systems, vehicle interior and external car body designs with the goal of eventually shipping a vehicle. That’s a more ambitious goal than in previous years when the project mostly focused on creating an underlying self-driving system. The company has also added more ex-Tesla Inc. executives to the project.
Still, some Apple engineers on the project believe the company could release a product in five to seven years if Apple goes ahead with its plans. The car is nowhere near production stage, the people said, though they did warn timelines could change. They asked not to be identified discussing sensitive, internal work. The majority of the team is currently either working from home or at the office for limited time, slowing the company’s ability to develop a full vehicle. An Apple spokesman declined to comment.
An Apple car would rival electric vehicles from Tesla and offerings from companies such as upstart Lucid Motors and established manufacturers like Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz and General Motors Co.’s Chevrolet. A key differentiator would be Apple’s ability to integrate its self-driving system, a pricey initiative that has spurred the company to develop its own software, sensor hardware and chip technologies. The goal is to let a user to input their destination and be driven there with little or no other engagement, according to the people familiar with the project.
Apple doesn’t manufacture its own products, and it will likely take the same approach with a vehicle. It’s unclear which company would assemble the car, though. In its first attempt about five years ago, Apple worked with engineers from Magna International Inc., a major auto industry contract manufacturer. Reuters recently reported that Apple is aiming to begin producing a car as early as 2024.
Apple has continued to investigate building its self-driving car system for a third-party car partner rather than its own vehicle, the people said, and it could ultimately again abandon its own car efforts in favor of this approach.
The company first set out to build an electric car in 2014, hiring hundreds of hardware engineers for the effort before rapidly paring it back around 2016 to focus on the self-driving car system. From 2016 through 2019, Apple cut hundreds of workers from the team. However, it kept some hardware engineers with expertise in car components who either stayed on the car project or worked on other initiatives.
In a sign it has now rebooted development of a vehicle, Apple in recent months shifted an executive known for his work on vehicle interiors and exteriors to its car team. In 2019, Apple hired former Tesla engineering vice president Steve MacManus, but he initially worked on projects unrelated to the car. Now MacManus leads a development group with several employees focused on car interiors, fabrics, car testing and vehicle manufacturing, people with knowledge of the matter said. He reports to Doug Field, a former top Tesla vehicle engineer who runs the Apple car project day to day.
Apple also recently hired Jonathan Sive, a vehicle engineer from BMW AG, Tesla and Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo, as a senior manager on the car project. In 2019, Apple tapped Michael Schwekutsch, Tesla’s former vice president in charge of drive systems, adding to a growing list of former Tesla employees working on the vehicle effort.
Late in 2020, Apple also hired another former Tesla vice president, Stuart Bowers, according to a person familiar with the move. He led Tesla’s self-driving technology team until mid-2019 and was an executive-in-residence at venture capital firm Greylock Partners until July, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Apple’s car team is filled with dozens of other ex-Tesla hardware and self-driving car engineers. In total, Apple has several hundred engineers working on the project, with most of them developing the self-driving car system rather than the full-fledged vehicle.
Late last year, Apple moved the project under John Giannandrea, head of artificial intelligence, suggesting most of the development work remains on the underlying autonomous software.
The smaller hardware team is working on vehicle dynamics, drive trains, safety mechanics and battery technology. It’s also trying to re-imagine a car’s interior for a future in which people ride passively rather than steer.
In recent months, Apple has posted job listings that indicate this vehicle work is ramping up. The company is seeking a lead engineer to integrate “audio drivers, tuners, speakers, microphones, wired buses, power supplies, wireless communication, and antennas” into autonomous systems.
Another job listing asks for an engineer with experience in LED lighting to deliver “a fully validated system ready for volume production,” suggesting that the company’s autonomous work is being designed to eventually be mass-produced. The company has also published listings for engineers to work on “high-voltage” battery systems, a key component of electric cars.
Apple’s chip unit, led by Johny Srouji, is playing a role in the car’s development, too, the people said. Since 2018, Srouji’s team has been developing a custom Arm-based chip with a heavy focus on machine learning processing to power the underlying self-driving car system.
The company has been testing autonomous technology on public roads since 2017. In 2019, the company’s test vehicles drove an average of about 118 miles before a human safety driver had to take control. That was up from 1 mile per disengagement in 2018, according to data from the California Department of Motor Vehicles. The company has 66 cars in its fleet, according to the California DMV. That’s up from 55 permitted vehicles as of mid-2018.