Hyundai has confirmed it’s in talks with Apple about the possibility of working together to build an electric car.
“Apple and Hyundai are in discussions but they are at an early stage and nothing has been decided,” the Korean automaker said in a statement seen by Reuters.
Hyundai revealed the news on Friday local time shortly after Korea Economic Daily TV reported that the two companies were discussing a possible partnership to build electric cars and batteries.
The revelation comes just weeks after the so-called “Apple Car” hit the headlines again following a period of quiet, with a number of insiders claiming the vehicle, which could include autonomous capabilities, may appear as early as 2024.
But another story, published earlier today by Bloomberg, said it could be up to seven years before the tech giant has anything to show off, according to sources claiming to have knowledge of the matter. The report also said that the car is “nowhere near production stage,” and currently has only a small team of Apple engineers working on “drive systems, vehicle interior, and external car body designs.”
Apple’s electric-vehicle initiative, known as Project Titan, has been in and out of the news since 2014. True to form, the company has remained tight-lipped on the subject, though it has previously acknowledged that it’s researching autonomous systems. Its reported work on an autonomous van, and the filing of a self-driving car patent that could turn Siri into a personal chauffeur, also confirms Apple’s interest in the technology.
The company more famous for phones and watches than four-wheel vehicles could end up providing its under-development autonomous technology to an established automaker — such as Hyundai — rather than designing its own vehicle, though it seems anything is still possible.
Digital Trends has reached out to both companies for comment and we will update this article with any response.
