If Apple Decides To Enter The Auto Making Business - Who Has The Most To Lose?

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is fine with Apple AAPL +0.26% getting into the car-making business.

During Tesla’s first quarter earnings conference call on Wednesday, an analyst posed the following question about Apple’s phantom (as in, officially non-existent) car-making business:

“Apple has, still unofficially perhaps, been making inroads into building up its vehicle engineering and transportation capabilities, according to a lot of sources, and making investments in both physical and human capital. Are you starting to feel a greater sense of competition with Silicon Valley parties versus your ability to track and retain key software and automotive engineering talent? And if Apple were to get into the electric car business, would you see this as a positive for broader consumer acceptance of electric vehicles?”

TheSteve - 5/7/2015 3:53:48 PM

+2 Boost

Apple. And consumers.

But don't worry. It won't happen. Apple knows better. The only way Apple is trying to "get into" cars is with their iPhones, iPods (connected to the car's infotainment system), and vying for the infotainment space. They've already covered the first two. They're focused big time on the third.

jeffgall - 5/7/2015 4:04:45 PM

+1 Boost

Apparently Audi for stealing this steering wheel

MrEE - 5/7/2015 6:59:57 PM

+1 Boost

Agree that Apple is after the infotainment systems now and advanced systems down the road (dashboards, safety and self driving). The issue is infotainment systems need to be open to interface to all brands, not the Apple way. You see this with Honda's CarPlay system. Same may be with Google's though they have started Open Auto Alliance. Future may be dealer installed/loaded infotainment.

skytop - 5/8/2015 8:24:17 AM

+1 Boost

Apple is too smart to become a car manufacturer. They are smart enough instead to become an electronics sub assembly systems manufacturer.