Nissan Motor Co. said Sunday it was not in talks with Apple Inc. to develop a self-driving electric car, Reuters reported.
Earlier, the Financial Times reported that Apple had started short, low-level talks that ended because of the Japanese automaker’s reluctance to produce Apple-branded cars.
“We are not in talks with Apple,” a Nissan spokeswoman said, according to Reuters. “However, Nissan is always open to exploring collaborations and partnerships to accelerate the transformation of the industry.”
Nissan shares 7201,
fell 3% in Tokyo trade.
Apple AAPL,
is reportedly looking to partner with a carmaker to launch a self-driving electric car in 2024.
Last week, Hyundai Motor Co. 005380 from South Korea
said it was no longer in talks with Apple after word about the negotiations leaked in January.