Apple

Apple has confirmed it has purchased Drive.ai, a startup focussed on developing autonomous vehicle technology. According to Associated Press, Drive.ai filed a submission to California's labour regulator indicating it intended to close its doors by the end of last week and fire its 90 staff members. It's not known if Apple's purchase means some or all of Drive.ai's staff will retain their jobs. The purchase price has also not been disclosed.

Volkswagen has added Siri capability to its Car-Net smartphone application, allowing owners to use their voice for functions like locking, unlocking and honking the horn. Owners need to be running iOS12 on their device, and can then just say things like "Hey Siri, lock my car" to make the Car-Net integration work. Along with the iPhone, you're able to control your car using an Apple Watch, for a proper Get Smart vibe in your Volkswagen.

An Apple self-driving prototype has been rear-ended on a Silicon Valley expressway, revealing the technology company is still working on autonomous vehicles. According to a report by Automotive News, filings in a criminal case have confirmed Apple has at least 5000 employees working on its self-driving project. This latest prang seems to give credence to the idea the iPhone could be sold alongside a car, confirming the company moving forward with real-world tests.

Technology giant Apple has submitted a request to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) asking that less information about autonomous vehicle testing being included in publicly-accessible reports - according to online blog MacRumours. Currently, it's a requirement for companies like Apple to publicly share details of its driverless vehicle testing processes, which goes against the company's usual process of keeping software and hardware developments a secret prior to release.

American technology giant Apple has at last confirmed its plans to become a player in the coming autonomous vehicle market, in a letter to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - although the extent of its plans remains unclear. Dated November 22, 2016, the document mentions areas where Apple is developing technologies and systems that could contribute to autonomous vehicles.