Apple CEO Tim Cook Stays Quiet On Rumoured Car 

Apple's CEO Tim Cook has stayed mum on the rumoured Apple Car project which has been numerously been reported to have been in the works at the Cupertino-based company since 2014. Tim Cook previously has admitted that the self-driving car technology is the "mother of all AI" projects. More recently chatter about the Apple Car project has again picked up steam. Many analysts and reporters have claimed that the new Apple Car will come to fruition in the next five years. There are also reports which claim that Apple has partnered with Hyundai to manufacture the vehicle around which the South Korean automotive giant even issued a statement only to retract it. 

Giannandrea was recruited by Cook in 2018 from Google where he was the head of AI

Now Tim Cook has stayed mum about the latest reports which isn't surprising as that's the classic ultra-secretive Apple modus-operandi. So much so, even Hyundai retracted its statement. In the latest interview with Fox News, he literally said, "can't comment on rumours and so forth." And then he added, he chooses not to comment on the rumours. 

Back in December, it was revealed that Apple's AI wizard Senior VP of AI strategy and machine learning, John Giannandrea had taken over the reins of the project, taking over from longtime Apple journeyman Bob Mansfield who retired for good after being recalled from his first retirement from the company specifically for the project. 

Apple originally had audacious ambitions something which even Steve Jobs had considered after the launch of the first iPhone. The company wanted to make an "Apple-branded" electric self-driving vehicle which took cues from what Tesla and Google were achieving in the earlier part of the decade. By 2018, it had become clear that Apple was tempering its ambition and had let go of numerous engineers. 

The iPhone maker has some key strengths in software, battery semiconductor design which can give it an edge in the future of electric and autonomous transportation. 

But in recent months steam has picked up again as it has been revealed that the company has hired a multitude of executives from competitor Tesla. For what it is worth even Elon Musk has dubbed Apple a graveyard of ex-Tesla talent or discarded talent. But such things both ways in Silicon Valley as even Tesla's new FSD chip has been designed by ex-Apple engineers who helped build the chips for the iPhone 5. 

More recently, there are reports which claim that Hyundai and Apple have finally come to an agreement and Hyundai's Kia brand which could be manufacturing the so-called Apple Car. 

Apple's focus reportedly has been developing a sophisticated self-driving system and preparing for a world of passive transportation with a unique interior. Apple is also working on breakthrough mono-cell battery technology which will have epic levels of range compared to what Tesla's offer.