Apple, BMW Vehicle Collaboration Rumors Heat Up

Jason Siu
by Jason Siu

Rumors of a collaboration between Apple and BMW are heating up.

According to a recent report, Apple CEO Tim Cook visited BMW’s headquarters last year along with senior executives from the Cupertino-based company, taking a tour of the German automaker’s factory in Leipzig to learn more on how BMW manufactures the i3 all-electric vehicle. The visit ended without any sort of collaboration, with Apple wanting to explore developing a vehicle on its own, however that could all change in the future.

Since Apple’s visit to BMW, the automaker has seen new Chief Executive Harald Kreuger take position and Herbert Diess, who played a role in the initial talks with Apple, moving onto a position at Volkswagen. It remains to be unseen whether Kreuger will explore the idea of collaborating with Apple further and how Diess’s departure affects the potential relationship.

SEE ALSO: BMW Denies Reports of Apple Collaboration

During the visit, a senior BMW source said, “Apple executives were impressed with the fact that we abandoned traditional approaches to car making and started afresh. It chimed with the way they do things too.” That of course makes reference to the BMW i3, which was developed from “scratch” as an all-electric vehicle.

Rumors of an Apple iCar have been circulating for years now, but more speculation has surfaced in recent months as the company has been spied testing its own vehicle. In addition, Google isn’t holding back in developing its own self-driving car and Apple sees the tech-giant as one of its main competitors in numerous markets. It is believed that if Apple wants to develop its own car, it will likely enter or at the very least, seek a partnership with an existing automaker.

[Source: Reuters]

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Jason Siu
Jason Siu

Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.

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