Apple in Talks With Hyundai About Auto Ambitions, Auto Maker Says

SEOUL— Apple Inc. has held talks with Hyundai Motor Co. about cooperation on driverless, electric powered cars, the South Korean car huge mentioned.

The transient assertion, which despatched Hyundai’s shares soaring early Friday in Seoul, provided no aspects and said talks were being preliminary but provided scarce community confirmation of Apple’s motor vehicle-associated attempts. The Iphone maker has been functioning secretly on the auto task in matches and starts off for much more than 6 decades, although watching the results of Silicon Valley’s Tesla Inc. ignite curiosity in electrical autos.

In latest weeks, Apple has arrived at out to suppliers about the likelihood of carrying out its very own automobile, likely starting creation as shortly as 2024, a man or woman familiar with the issue explained very last thirty day period. Apple shelved an before exertion to create its personal vehicle a number of several years ago to concentrate on driverless vehicle technological know-how.

Apple declined to comment.

Hyundai, in indicating Friday that it has held discussions with Apple, reported that “as it is at [an] early stage, very little has been made a decision.” In a later assertion submitted with Korean securities regulators, Hyundai explained it experienced fielded requests of potential cooperation on electric vehicles from multiple organizations. Hyundai, with affiliate Kia Motors Corp. , ranks among the the world’s greatest car makers by product sales.