Documents confirm Apple is building self-driving car

[Zorro]

Apple is building a self-driving car in Silicon Valley, and is scouting for secure locations in the San Francisco Bay area to test it, the Guardian has learned. Documents show the oft-rumoured Apple car project appears to be further along than many suspected.

In May, engineers from Apple’s secretive Special Project group met with officials from GoMentum Station, a 2,100-acre former naval base near San Francisco that is being turned into a high-security testing ground for autonomous vehicles.

In correspondence obtained by the Guardian under a public records act request, Apple engineer Frank Fearon wrote: “We would ... like to get an understanding of timing and availability for the space, and how we would need to coordinate around other parties who would be using [it].”

Apple declined to comment.

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/aug/14/apple-self-driving-car-project-titan-sooner-than-expected

[Shandris]

1. I truly question the sanity of anyone who would drive one of these...

...now that it has been confirmed (instead of being labelled a 'conspiracy theory') that these vehicles can be operated/accessed remotely.

Of course, I've been accused of being a little Luddite-ish from time to time. It's not entirely accurate, but I do prefer caution to "Cool tech, sure it can destroy my life but OHMYGAWDSELFIES!”。　

[yeoman6987]

4. I like the idea of making it easier for the disabled and elderly

To get around. Any progress on that is good with me.

[Shandris]

5. It's always hard to think of every outlying example when...

...forming a reaction to something, and this is no exception. Hadn't thought of that usage, but I'm not convinced that wifi is needed for such a vehicle. A daily map updater or something of that nature? Sure. But not remote access. If it could even be something optionally disconnected (and ACTUALLY disconnected, not this penny-ante "Oh, yah, it doesn't work anymore except it totally does" junk that Microsoft and their ilk use).

Course, that's just my thought on it. I have been a longtime computer security advocate though, so that's no real surprise either.

[Zorro]

8. I think the Silicon Valley folks are more focused on car security than most car manufacturers

Stories surrounding car hacking seem to be all the rage these days. The issue was first thrust into the spotlight a few weeks ago when famed hackers Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek were able to take over Wired reporter Andy Greenberg’s jeep as it sped down the highway at 70 mph.

Such is the risk involved with connected cars. On the one hand, the technology that underlies modern vehicles makes driving more convenient, efficient, and enjoyable than ever before. On the other, expanded capabilities opens up the door for hackers to potentially wreak havoc.

That being the case, there’s one car company, above all others, who has their security game on lock down. Not surprisingly, that company is Tesla.

During a presentation at the annual Def Con Hacking Conference in Las Vegas last week, researchers Kevin Mahaffey and Marc Rogers detailed the endless number of roadblocks they encountered when trying to hack a Tesla Model S. Ultimately, they managed to find a key vulnerability by accessing Tesla’s VPN via a somewhat hidden Ethernet port located behind the drivers side dashboard. In turn, they were able to access a key piece of the car’s software which enabled them to “shut down a moving Model S at low speed” while also giving them control over the car’s windows, doors, and suspension.

http://bgr.com/2015/08/14/tesla-hacking-model-s/

There will be a time when I won't be able to drive, so I'm all for continuing autonomous control development. A tremendous amount of technology has been implemented since the 2004 DARPA Grand Challenge.

[joshcryer]

12. In 50 years people will question our sanity.

How we could kill as many Americans as Vietnam killed every two years due to car accidents. Eventually human drivers will be banned or largely augmented (you can "drive" a self-driving car but it's going to be able to take over at any minute).

[Juicy_Bellows]

2. I can see the queue building up now!

Pay more for their new iCar and have to buy a new one once the iBattery dies. Headlight goes out? Ahh bummer, need to see the geniuses for a new iHeadlamp and be sure to fill up with iGas on the way in case that iBattery dies.

[MADem]

3. Didn't APPLE have a garbage GPS mapping system that everyone got ticked off about?

They can compete against Google, and that's good--competition makes everyone better.

I have more confidence in Google at present.

I don't think everyone is all freaked about people knowing where you're going, like some people are concerned about. People who would be inclined to use this in the early days will be people who really need such a transportation mode, and who would be glad that people know where they are should they get in trouble--this will initially be a boon to the elderly, the disabled, the vision impaired. It will give them freedom to travel, and that's cool.

The day will come for me when I won't feel safe driving. I hope they have these things online and useable by the time that happens.

One of the things I do quite frequently, as a pastime, is drive old people who have lost their ability to drive--either they've surrendered a license, they got it taken away because they can't see, or the husband who always drove died on them and left them stranded. I take them to the store, to doctor appointments, to visit friends, where ever they might want to go. Often they are so frantic when I go get them--they are afraid if they don't hit every "stop," they'll have to wait for another opportunity. They feel like they have to rush. I'm patient--I have all the time in the world, and the ability to find a hotspot and hang out.

I wouldn't mind not being needed. People deserve dignity and freedom for as long as they can handle getting up and going out. Self-driving cars are cool things.

[emulatorloo]

6. FWIW my experience w iPhone GPS is very good. Has bailed my friends out when

their on-star or other GPS could not route to a location.

Their was a lot of criticism of version 1 of the Maps App but that has been a while ago.

My mother in law would have loved a self-driving car. It was very hard for her emotionally when she had to give up driving.

Thank you for what you are doing for seniors.

[MADem]

9. Yes, I realized they fixed the problem, but I had a friend with one of those phones who was bullshit

because they couldn't go back to Google--the "upgrade" to the Apple version got stuck and they were all irritated--borrowed my handy-dandy stand-alone Garmin for a road trip!

It's my pleasure to help out; I figure what goes around comes around. Hell, if I didn't do my little bit, I'd put almost no miles on my cars, and it's good to use them a little, anyway! You learn a lot about what people think, too, in those little petit-conversations we have between the "here" and the "there." I've gotten some interesting insights and knowledge, I get back as much if not more than what I give. It's all good~!

[emulatorloo]

10. Ah yes, now I remember. FWIW they have the Google Maps app for iPhone on the Apple App Store

Gets great reviews. So basically Apple doesn't pre-install it anymore, but it is available for iPhone and iPad.

The petit-conversations sound really nice.

[joshcryer]

13. Oh once we have self-driving cars all that GPS data...

...will likely be overseen by the FCC and NTSB. You're not going to have separate datasets, it'd be pointless and ultimately dangerous for the companies.

Google wants to be the main data provider so it may be that Apple's car ultimately uses Google's data (which let's be honest is unparalleled in the history of all data gathering). But the FCC and NTSB will ultimately be handling the data. You don't want corporations handling it, and corporations wouldn't want the liability anyway. It'll likely be datasets from all companies and AI approaches from all companies.

[Logical]

7. In 10 years they will no doubt be on the street! So cool! Nt

[DavidDvorkin]

11. It will take you where it thinks you should go.

[Lancero]

14. Considering how eager Apple Maps was to lead people off cliffs...

I think I'll pass on the Apple iCar.

[Warren DeMontague]

15. If only it had come when I still drank in bars, I coulda saved a fortune in cab fares.

Seriously, I think it's a great idea- and it's coming, for sure. Eventually.



On the other hand...

[olddots]

16. how will people wonder aimlessly ?