According to the latest reports from the US media, Apple has been approved to test its autonomous driving technology on California public roads. This is the first time Apple has obtained relevant approval.
In recent years, more and more technology companies are racing to enter the field of automatic driving. However, according to the requirements of the US federal government, old car manufacturers can conduct automatic driving tests without submitting a disclaimer application to the regulatory authorities, but new companies entering the automotive field cannot enjoy it. The same treatment. According to the official website of the California Motor Vehicle Management Department, companies that have obtained auto-driving test approval as of April 14 include, in addition to Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Ford and other traditional car companies, including Google's parent company Alphabet, Tesla, Uber. And chip maker Nvidia and so on.
Previously, the industry has been rumored that Apple is carrying out a self-driving car research and development project called "Titan Plan", but this news has never been officially confirmed by Apple, and Apple has never disclosed relevant research and development progress. However, in November last year, Apple sent a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), proposing that new companies entering the field enjoy the same treatment as established companies, and also have the opportunity to test autonomous driving technology on public roads.
In this five-page letter, Apple product manager Kona said that Apple is investing heavily in machine learning and automation research and is excited about the application potential of automation systems in many areas, including the transportation industry. Apple also recommended that NHTSA further improve the openness of the policy to attract more companies to enter the autonomous driving field and promote the rapid development of the industry.
