In the automotive industry, Apple's role is usually limited to using Apple CarPlay software on a car's infotainment screen system. Recently, Ford, an American automotive brand, has announced that they will collaborate with Apple to not only use Apple CarPlay as an in-car entertainment system, but will also use software services to help develop Ford's self-driving system.
In addition to using Apple CarPlay in their vehicles, Ford also said that they will use Apple Maps as the default software in the newly launched electric vehicle driver assistance system.
Meanwhile, Ford also said that the collaboration with Apple will also help Ford develop and refine their self-driving system and will be introduced when Ford's self-driving vehicles are launched next year, which means that Apple will come with the software built into these vehicles and will not require drivers to have an Apple iPhone device to use it.
Ford will develop its own self-driving system, and Apple will help Ford understand aspects of the road, such as the location of turns, how to enter and exit intersections, lanes and various aspects of the road so that the self-driving process can be carried out more safely.
This announcement is quite interesting because automotive companies rarely want to work with companies like Apple and Google and are willing to develop their own software and systems rather than rely on the offerings of those companies.
Ford is expected to introduce its own self-driving vehicles next year, and an update to the introduction of the inforia system is expected to be introduced later.
