Should Apple purchase Tesla? (1 Viewer)

[Robert Saccone]

My belief is that one day drivers will just be passengers. And it will happen sooner than it seems.

I hope that it is the case but I think given how many different attempts have been made to come up with an autonomous vehicle that haven't worked, Apple being the latest, I am skeptical. I've wondered if a solution that relies on some infrastructure that is part of the roadway that the car tracks to guide its path might help simplify things.

 

[Ted Todorov]

So apparently Apple actually was seriously considering purchasing Tesla, at least according to The NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/28/technology/behind-the-apple-car-dead.html

It had just finished the Apple Watch, and many engineers were restless to begin work on something new. Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, approved the project in part to prevent an exodus of engineers to Tesla.

The company held some discussions with Elon Musk about acquiring Tesla, according to two people familiar with the talks. But ultimately, it decided that building its own car made more sense than buying and integrating another business.

Mr. Musk did not respond to a request for comment.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

I hope that it is the case but I think given how many different attempts have been made to come up with an autonomous vehicle that haven't worked, Apple being the latest, I am skeptical. I've wondered if a solution that relies on some infrastructure that is part of the roadway that the car tracks to guide its path might help simplify things.

You mean like in Minority Report? I'm definitely not crazy about that (what w/ Big Brother), LOL...

Of course, the whole self-driving, smart car thing is gonna be loaded w/ tons of such potential anyway no matter how one slices it, heh, so no, I don't really look forward to that day myself...

Heck! I still have mixed feelings about using my phone to directly pay for mass transit use as is, heh, but there's no use fighting/resisting that anymore (as resistance is futile afterall, LOL) -- I also wasn't crazy about moving to Metrocard use here in NYC when that first began ~3 decades ago, but now, that's being phased out in favor of more direct payment (and tracking) by phone tap...

_Man_

 

[Robert Saccone]

You mean like in Minority Report? I'm definitely not crazy about that (what w/ Big Brother), LOL...

Of course, the whole self-driving, smart car thing is gonna be loaded w/ tons of such potential anyway no matter how one slices it, heh, so no, I don't really look forward to that day myself...

Heck! I still have mixed feelings about using my phone to directly pay for mass transit use as is, heh, but there's no use fighting/resisting that anymore (as resistance is futile afterall, LOL) -- I also wasn't crazy about moving to Metrocard use here in NYC when that first began ~3 decades ago, but now, that's being phased out in favor of more direct payment (and tracking) by phone tap...

_Man_

I don't remember what was in Minority Report. I also don't mean anything big brother related. More a like a metal rail embedded in the roadway that the car can track / see / sense to make the guidance system work more simply.

BTW I was thrilled when the MTA enabled tap to pay with phone / watch that goes to my CC instead of having to have a silly paper metro card to worry about it and refill all the time. As far as being tracked, welcome to the post 9/11 world where there are thousands of cameras throughout NYC that are watching your every move. I recently visited Washington DC and they have tap to pay but you still have to maintain a virtual card that you load with funds that it deducts from. I understand why some folks need that but heck make my CC an option I can use.