Apple's Patent History Reveals a Major Push Into Autos

A joint investigation by Nikkei and a Tokyo analytics company found that Apple has jumped into automobile-related technologies, as shown by the company's recent patent applications. From a report: Apple has filed patents in self-driving and other vehicle software as well as in hardware related to riding comfort, such as seats and suspension. The U.S. tech and services company is also targeting vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology, which allows cars to communicate with each other and connect to the "Internet of Things," moves seen as a major push by Apple to build its own platform and join a growing industry shift from just cars to overall mobility.

Nikkei and Intellectual Property Landscape found that as of June 1, Apple applied for and published 248 automobile-related patents after 2000. It typically takes about 18 months after filing a patent for it to be published. While most of Apple's applications in 2021 have yet to be published, eight were. This number is bound to increase throughout the year. Of Apple's 27 applications made in 2020, five were published at the same time in 2021. The number of patents published in 2021 is almost certain to exceed this, according to Intellectual Property Landscape.

right to repair needs to happen with cars no locks

[Joe_Dragon]

right to repair needs to happen with cars no locks like apple does with
battery's
screens
serialized parts
storage
etc..

Re:right to repair needs to happen with cars no lo

[cayenne8]

Am I the only person that not only doesn't want a car that is "interconnected" with other cars and part of the IOT?

Geez, its hard enough to keep any bit of privacy about our lives as it is, I really do NOT want to give them easy real time traceable info on my travels in my car.

I don't want my car connected to, or phoning "home" for anything while I have it out.

If I need updates, I'll take the time to bring the car in.

Hell, I don't want things like OnStar in my car...and this crap sounds a hell of a lot worse.

Re:

[Vancorps]

This is like complaining you have to put gas in your car so you'll stick with your horse. The future requires interconnected cars to deal with congestion, traffic hazards, optimizing emissions or electric use.

Your privacy concerns are valid and they should be addressed through anonymizing your ID similar to what covid tracking apps do. They don't need to know who you are, standard blockchain rules can still apply however.

I'm not a fan of this either and Apple entering the fret scares me even more since to

Re:

[cayenne8]

This is like complaining you have to put gas in your car so you'll stick with your horse. The future requires interconnected cars to deal with congestion, traffic hazards, optimizing emissions or electric use.

How so?

I mean, I deal just FINE today driving with congestion, traffic hazards....if it is EV there's no emissions and who gives a fuck how much electricity I use as long as I can pay for it?

I have no need for those "connected" benefits you listed today and I don't see that I will require them any t

Re:

[Vancorps]

Energy efficiency is always important and will only be more so as there are more EVs on the road. If they are gas vehicles mileage matters for both pollution and consumption efficiency.

While today you may be fine with your congestion there are many people that needlessly sit in traffic (easily millions of people) that justify all of this now and many more millions in the future to justify it then. Congestion right now is handled via adding lanes to freeways and traffic lights all over the place. Everytime

Re:

[cayenne8]

I sincerely hope that the future you described does NOT happen in my lifetime.

No thanks.

[TWX]

Vehicles are durable goods that should have service-lives measured in decades. Hell, one of my regular cars was built before Steve Jobs was hired-back to Apple. I don't want a company that builds commodity hardware meant to have a short service-life being responsible for embedded systems within my vehicles.

To be frank about it I do not like how deeply embedded 'infotainment' has gotten, in the sense that the protocols used will be superseded a few years after they're built. The bluetooth rev in most vehi

Re:No thanks.

[EvilSS]

To be frank about it I do not like how deeply embedded 'infotainment' has gotten,

Google 'Automotive Hypervisors' to get a detailed look at how modern cars are integrated. The quick answer is very, very deeply. It's not just a ECM/PCM and BCM anymore. Almost every system has one or more control modules and a multitude of sensors. The 'infotainment' system is more of a platform for connecting all of them. Playing music or showing navigation is a small part of what it does. There really isn't any replacing it anymore. I just went from a 2008 to a 2022 F150 and the differences in the electronics is astounding.

Re:

[TWX]

And the infotainment stuff doesn't have jack to do with efficient engine control, and frankly shouldn't have anything to do with pressing a button on the dash to have the lights come on.

That's my beef. They're adding a whole bunch of unnecessary stuff deeply embedded within the vehicle's controls that won't contribute to basic hardware functions like driving or actuating physical accessories. This is going to cause long-term pain as the stuff based on quickly obsolescent protocols gets old.

Re:No thanks Me too

[Boolean algebra]

I am really happy with my 2008 car and 1994 truck. Both run great and will be maintainable for as long as I will need. But if one gets crushed or stolen and I cannot get a suitable replacement the Ford E pick-up would be my current choice, never had a pick-up before. Like my Aerostar built like a tank.

Re:

[Boolean algebra]

Also this Imac Pro is the last apple product I will EVER get.

Apple missed the window already...

[wertigon]

Their best bet now is to buy up a smaller EV car manufacturer like Lucid or Rimac. Even then, the window for disruption is over already.

Re:

[timeOday]

But that's totally their MO. Here on slashdot people were asking for years when they would finally come out with a smartphone. It seemed to be too late, since blackberry had it all sewn up.

Re:

[wertigon]

Apple needs ramp up in the car space. Tesla and BYD will both produce over 2 million EVs next year, and BYD an additional 1 million EV. Noone else even comes close and Tesla MO is to keep evolving their factories.

Unless Apple announces a level 5 autonomous vehicle this fall and a volume of 5 million vehicles a year by 2025, I cannot see how on earth they can beat Tesla, much less the Chinese manufacturers. Heck, I cannot see how legacy auto keeps even 25% of their pre covid market share as things stand.

Re: Apple missed the window already...

[AvitarX]

Ford, Hyundai and VW seem to be making electric cars that people want.

GM seems to be trying, BMW not totally out of the game.

I'm not sure why you think legacy auto makers will fall below 25%, they seem to be adapting fairly well.

Currently the legacy makers are at 15% or so of EV sales, it seems pretty likely they have more space to increase market share than a company like Tesla.

https://insideevs.com/news/595... [insideevs.com]

Re:

[fermion]

The first Tesla was a Lotus Elise with the Tesla power train and some bells and whistles. Outside of China no one is building affordable electric vehicles. A POS Kia is $45K. I donâ(TM)t know where or how Apple could build a competitive vehicle. But there is a lot of opportunity right now if one has $200 billion burning a hole in your pocket.

A car with rounded corners?

[jenningsthecat]

Just sayin'.

Also, I suspect an Apple car will deliver music ONLY via iTunes. And it will probably have an LCD with touch-screen in the hub of the steering wheel, to eliminate the last of the electro-mechanical switches, because 'courage' or some other shit excuse.

Re:

[poofmeisterp]

Just sayin'.

Also, I suspect an Apple car will deliver music ONLY via iTunes. And it will probably have an LCD with touch-screen in the hub of the steering wheel, to eliminate the last of the electro-mechanical switches, because 'courage' or some other shit excuse.

Now, why would you think any of this stuff? What could possibly lead you to believe that? They've never behaved like that before. Why start now? /h

like iCar

[drwho]

Oh yes, an Apple car! no steering wheel or accelerator, no controls really at all, you just tell it where you want to go and it fails to take you there, such progress!

Ripe for disruption

[groobly]

My 2018 car runs on tons of software. That software cannot be updated. That is insane. Imagine buying a computer, and they tell you, sorry, you can't update any of the software on it. Also, you can't swap out any of the hardware. You want newer versions of the software? Buy a new car.

If the software/hardware companies fully get into the car business, there can be major disruption.

Means very little

[Pinky's Brain]

When apple has plans to enter a market they make it their business to watch the advancing wave of improvement, and gather its foam in the form of patented monopolies. There is not necessarily much underlying research, just ideas of what might work and then throwing lots of claims at those ideas in case someone does the work to reduce them to practice.

In fact they are more likely to speculatively patent in known research fields of competitors than tip their hands on real research of their own before they are

I've been expecting that.

[Eunomion]

Apple and Samsung both are going to end up buying and transforming major car companies.

Re: I've been expecting that.

[ACForever]

I'd trust a Samsung car long before I'd ever get in a apple car.

Soon they'll release the first Apple Car.

[Bu11etmagnet]

iCrash

I was all ready to buy an Apple car...

[Applehu Akbar]

..Until I found out that I would have to round up several neighbors to help me turn it over on its back to plug in the charger every night.