iCar dreams: Apple boss Tim Cook opens up on self-drive tech, lauds Tesla

Apple is planning to quicken the pace at which it works on its upcoming self-drive technology and while it is a major shift from focal areas of smartphones and other gadgets, Apple chief Tim Cook points out that the marriage of technology with autonomous cars is becoming more obvious with passing time.

In an interview released by New York Times, Cook explains just why Apple is in a position of strength when it comes to autonomous vehicles even if it has never actually dabbled in the world of mobility ever before. "An autonomous car is a robot and so there are a lots of things you can do with autonomy; we will see what Apple does," he said in a Sway podcast with Kawa Swisher. "We love to integrate hardware, software and services, and find the intersection points of those because we think that's where the magic occurs."

Cook made a special mention of Tesla and heaped praise on the California-based company that now has a sizeable lead in the world of electric mobility while also leading the pack when it comes to self-drive cars. "Tesla has done an unbelievable job of not only establishing the lead but keeping the lead for such a long period of time in the electric vehicle space," Cook said.

But is that lead now under possible threat from Apple?

Apple, as it usually always does, has remained secretive about its autonomous vehicle-related aspirations although its Project Titan could, maybe, see a car coming off production lines in the next few years. Cook himself has indicated that it is possible Apple may have an autonomous-driving technology platform used by car makers.

There is a mammoth buzz though that Apple could indeed become a very strong player if and when its autonomous vehicle does hit roads. Unlikely to be affordable - a crucial factor for scaling up, the Apple car may well pave the way for improved tech to make way inside cars of the future. And with even Xiaomi looking at having its self-drive car, the time for tech giants to enter automotive space appears here and

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