According to Bloomberg, Apple has begun talking to Lidar self-driving car sensor suppliers as part of the bid to build an electric vehicle.
Lidar sensors, which are common on many self-driving vehicles and prototypes, are used to determine the distance of the vehicle from objects, people and other vehicles. The technology is also used for other technology, including a few iPhone models.
According to Bloomberg, Apple was in talks with several lidar vendors working on the next generation of hardware. The report also said that Apple developed much of the software needed for self-driving vehicles in-house. But a vehicle launch could take at least five years, Bloomberg reported, citing internal Apple sources.
In recent weeks and months, it has also been alleged that Apple was in talks with several automakers about building Apple-branded vehicles.
In January, a South Korean newspaper reported advanced talks with Hyundai, with plans to build a “beta” version of an Apple car in about a year. But Hyundai and its sister brand Kia later denied those talks.
Nissan similarly told Insider last week that it had not started discussions with Apple, despite reports that it had.
However, Nissan is always open to exploring collaborations and partnerships to accelerate the transformation of the industry, the spokesman said.