Electric Vehicle
Rumors say that Apple is hiring more personnel to bolster secretly the staff size of its self-driving car division. (Photo: Taneli Lahtinen/Unsplash(BY CC 2.0))

Rumors say that Apple is hiring more personnel to bolster secretly the staff size of its self-driving car division.

Is Apple secretly hiring more people to add to its self-driving vehicle team of engineers and personnel? Recent rumors indicate that the Cupertino tech giant is now looking for programmers with years of experience in the automotive industry. Whispered talks indicate Apple is secretly bolstering the staff size of its self-driving vehicle team. If true, then it confirms earlier speculation that the company might launch the much-anticipated Apple Car sooner than expected.

Apple's website shows several recent job openings for programmers with an automotive background. Reading between the lines, the job opportunities seems inclined towards a specialized section of the company dedicated to the creation of the Apple Car. Aside from the recent job postings, Apple also posted several vehicle-related job openings in 2020 indicating that the company wanted to increase the size of its self-driving vehicle team secretly. Past job postings indicate Apple needs personnel with backgrounds in electric motor controls, road safety, and other car-related experiences.

A New Battleground

The Cupertino tech giant had long wanted to enter the automotive industry, which some say could start with the launch of the Apple Car. This is hardly surprising as with iPhone sales appearing to level off, the company needs new products for its future profits. A self-driving vehicle is among such products, as it has the capability of bringing in huge revenues for the company. With the company secretly bolstering the staff size of its self-driving car team, Apple appears headed in that direction.

Past rumors indicate that the production of the Apple Car could start in four to five years, though some say that the self-driving vehicle might not be on the road before 2028. Nevertheless, with Apple seemingly bolstering the staff size of its self-driving vehicle division, the company might launch its much-anticipated electric vehicle earlier than expected.

Plenty Of Job Openings

If you visit the Jobs section of Apple's website and type "car" in its search field, you would see plenty of automotive-related job openings. While some of the openings are for CarPlay, a job opening not related to Apple Car, many job listings contain the words "Car Experience" in their titles, which appear to endorse rumors that Apple is increasing the staff size of the company's self-driving vehicle team.

For instance, you will see job postings for an embedded developer and systems engineer with "5 years automotive industry experience" among the required qualifications. There are also job openings for a quality-assurance engineer with "in-depth knowledge of automotive technology" among its qualifications list.

While these job postings do not automatically confirm rumors that Apple is secretly bolstering the staff size of its self-driving car division, it does leave you with a raised eyebrow on why the tech giant is looking for additional personnel with an automotive background.