Strongest Evidence Yet Points To Apple’s Mythical Self-Driving Car
A couple of weeks ago, we reported that Apple had paid a visit to BMW's Leipzig factory to hold discussions and get a feel for things in the automotive space. That apparently happened last year, so there's been quite a bit of time that's passed since then. According to The Guardian, that time has been well-spent, as Apple is said to be gearing up for in-depth vehicle testing soon.
According to the website, Apple's Special Project group met with officials at GoMentum Station, a mammoth 2,100 acre former navel base in San Francisco that is said to be one of the most secure testing grounds in the country. Surrounding the facility is barb-wired fence, and all entry points have security. Inside, there are 20 miles of paved highways and city streets, making it a great testing ground for new vehicles - one that Mercedes-Benz and Honda have already taken advantage of.
In just a few years, we could see an Apple car gracing its stores
While Apple's work on an vehicle is a secret to no one, that's certainly not what the company wants. Thus, taking advantage of such a well-guarded testing ground makes all the sense in the world, since the company would be very keen on keeping absolutely everything under wraps that it possibly can. In this day and age, it almost seems impossible that Apple will be able to pull that off, but given the high security of this environment, it seems like even a drone wouldn't last too long trying to scout things out.
What could be seen as interesting is that despite Apple's huge desire for secrecy, its hundreds of engineers working on the automotive project are apparently housed in a low-profile building a few miles from the company's upcoming new Cupertino campus. It seems unlikely that anyone working in the area realizes the immense hype brewing under that roof.