Apple obtains permit to test self-driving cars

Apple Inc (AAPL) has secured a permit to test autonomous vehicles in California, the state Department of Motor Vehicles said on Friday. "Being able to test self-driving cars in California is nothing new, as many companies have permits in the state".

Over the past few years, there had been so many speculations that Apple would enter the highly-competitive race of developing self-driving cars.

Most major auto manufacturers and many technology groups are now developing autonomous vehicles, considered to be the future of the automobile, along with electric power, with first production models promised for around 2020.

Apple's possession of the permit indicates that the company could begin testing autonomous vehicles on California roads, and an Apple source reportedly told Bloomberg that testing would begin "soon", but no specific time frame was given. "It will be interesting to see what form the test vehicles take and what can be gleaned about Apple's strategy".

It seems like Apple has not yet hit the brakes on its self-driving vehicle.

As it turns out, Apple's auto ambitions haven't been completely shuttered.

Apple, traditionally highly secretive about its technology, joins companies like Google, Tesla, Ford, Mercedes-Benz and others, that are testing autonomous driving technology. The California permit covers three 2015 Lexus RX540h SUVs, and six drivers, the DMV said.

Apple is pleased to provide the following comments on the proposed Federal Automated Vehicles Policy (Policy), published by the Department of Transportation and the National Highway TraSafety Administration (NHTSA).

But wait. Didn't Apple scrap its Project Titan (the one it never acknowledged until it said it was not going to make any self-driving cars) and start focusing only on the software part of autonomous driving technology? Apple began to focus more on the self-driving technology past year after re-hiring former hardware executive Bob Mansfield to lead the project.

Uber recently chose to temporally "put the breaks", so to speak, on testing driverless cars due to a crash in Arizona, according to Bloomberg Technology.

Google, an early developer of the technology, considers self-driving cars to be a potential new market, while Uber hopes to eventually eliminate the need for human drivers to shuttle its customers. The permit requires companies to disclose traffic incidents related to their testing within 10 business days of the event.