It is no surprise that Apple has been planning to enter the car market.
While it is still unclear how far Apple’s vehicle development has come, many are speculating that the car will be an electric vehicle (EV).
The tech giant has reportedly been in talks with Hyundai and Nissan in recent weeks, though nothing concrete has materialized as of yet.
Apple has also reportedly been talking to auto parts supplier Magna, the firm behind Fisker Ocean EV.
Competitors have also not taken Apple’s ambitions lightly.
Recently Toyota’s CEO shared a remark targeted at Apple, mentioning that “the automotive industry is no easy feat”, and that he “welcomes competition” in the market.
“After making a vehicle, I’d like them to be prepared to deal with customers and various changes for some 40 years,” said Akio Toyoda, CEO of Toyota
This is not the first time Akio has commented on his rivals, as he previously mentioned that Tesla was not making a “real product” despite the company overtaking Toyota as the most valuable automaker in the world.
Akio is also not a big fan of EVs, which he believes will emit even more carbon dioxide than conventional combustion engine cars.
A growing list of industry players have also been speaking out about Apple’s automotive ambitions.
Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess mentioned that he was “not afraid of Apple as a new challenger”.
BMW’s CFO admitted he “sleeps peacefully at night despite the new potential threat”.