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Apple Ends 'iCar' Cooperation Talks With BMW, Daimler: Report

Apple Ends 'iCar' Cooperation Talks With BMW, Daimler: Report

By Robin Sinha | Updated: 26 April 2016 14:21 IST

Highlights

Apple has reportedly ended talks for the iCar with BMW and Daimler.
Magna is said to be the company's new favourite for the project.
Talks ended because of issues in project leadership and data ownership.

BMW and Daimler, two of the most popular German carmakers, have reportedly ended talks with Apple over a cooperation deal related with creating an electric car, rumoured to be called the 'iCar'.

German daily Handelsblatt cites people familiar with the matter to report talks with BMW ended last year, but talks with Daimler ended more recently.

Apple has been rumoured to be working on an electric car for a while now, which may offer self-driving features and compete with Google's self-driving car efforts. Of course, apart from the Mountain View giant, several other tech giants from across the world, alongside car manufacturers, have been working on self-driving or otherwise Internet-connected cars. Tesla, a popular electric car manufacturer, recently introduced an 'autopilot' self-driving feature.

As per the report, Apple is looking for a partner with expertise in manufacturing electric cars, and is said to be focusing on Germany, directing its efforts from its Berlin office. Canadian-Austrian firm Magna is another carmaker that is reportedly in talks with Apple, as per the report, and is said to be the current favourite.

Apple, BMW, Daimler, and Magna however, all declined to comment on the matter.

Further reported is that the talks ended with BMW and Daimler over the question as to who would lead the project and which company would have the ownership of data. As one would expect, Tim Cook and company is expected to want the iCar connected to its own cloud software, and the report adds BMW and Daimler were not ready to compromise customer data.

Fiat Chrysler Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne last month said that Apple should collaborate with carmakers to make a vehicle instead of trying to make it on its own. It was also reported that Apple was exploring to create a complete vehicle by itself, not just the design, software or any other individual component.

Marchionne at the Geneva auto show said carmakers will be able to satisfy the requirements demanded by Apple. "If they have any urges to make a car, I'd advise them to lie down and wait until the feeling passes," Marchionne told journalists. "Illnesses like this come and go, you will recover from them, they're not lethal."

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