Apple reportedly working on a new custom OS to power the Apple Car

The mysterious Apple Car has been driving around in the dark corners of the rumor mill for quite some time, and now, a new rumor has appeared online to remind us about the self-driving vehicle. AppleInsider reports that Apple seems to be planning to have its own centrally integrated OS that the Apple Car will use. This is pretty much similar to how Tesla has one system that operates driving controls and entertainment.

Apple Car might have its own integrated OS

This rumor doesn't surprise us as much, if you think of it, knowing Apple the company is bound to use its own centrally integrated OS for the Apple Car, and not use other companies' solutions. However, you might assume that the Apple Car may ship with an expanded version of Car Play, but this seems unlikely because of this new rumor.

According to supply chain sources from Digitimes, Apple is specifically developing an OS that will reportedly be a "centrally integrated operating system like Tesla".

What makes it similar to Tesla, you might wonder? Well, the similarity to Tesla could be related to it being a single system that controls all aspects of the car. These could be from driving features such as navigation and lane control, Apple Music integration, and air conditioning among other features.

Despite that, there's a difference with Tesla's OS, as it is not entirely developed by the company but uses a customized version of Linux Ubuntu.


In Apple Car's case, a DCU could be used to process data provided by the sensors of the self-driving vehicle, like, for example, the camera sensors or LiDAR.

So basically the report implies that Apple is developing something like a "carOS" type of system. But it is important to know that this information comes as other reports claim there could be some stalling of the Apple Car project, like rumors like the one that the Apple Car project team has been dissolved.

Despite that though, other sources claim that a 2025 launch date for the Apple Car is not completely out of the question yet.

An important thing to mention here about this report is that although Digitimes has been quite strong and reliable when it comes to hardware supply info, it may be less reliable when it comes to predictions on what Apple's plans are, so keep that in mind when you daydream about testing the Apple Car out.

Apple Car: recently, Apple ordered a test chip

The Apple Car is still quite a mysterious project, but rumors are definitely present and although it may take a while for the self-driving vehicle to emerge from the shadows, there's plenty to be excited about, like a recent report that we shared with you.

Earlier, a Korean company was reported to have received a test chip order for the Apple Car's chip. However, this order is not for the final chip, as it would most certainly be made by Apple's partner TSMC (the company is responsible for fabricating Apple's A-series and M-series of chips).

Instead, the order placed with a South Korean semiconductor and test company seems to be for modules that would be incorporated into the chip. The company (it wasn't named in the report) is reported to work on an autopilot chip, basically, a chip that operates the autopilot function like those used by Tesla. So, it seems that Apple is indeed thinking of a chip to power the Apple Car.