According to Reuters, citing local authorities, this is the first registered case of an accident involving an Apple self-driving car.
The incident occurred while the autonomous vehicle was changing lanes. At the moment the self-driving Lexus RX was performing the maneuver, its speed was only 1.5 km/h. During this maneuver, a Nissan Leaf collided with it. Both cars sustained mechanical damage.
Earlier, there were suggestions that Apple would start producing its own electric car with autopilot. It was expected that such a model, codenamed Titan, would debut between 2019 and 2021.
However, in the fall of 2016, Bloomberg reported that Apple had decided to abandon the idea of building its own car. Instead, the company would focus on creating an autopilot system, which it would then offer to other automakers.
Currently, Apple continues to invest significant resources in the development of autonomous driving technologies. In particular, the corporation has already launched testing of its new self-driving system. The Lexus RX crossover is used as a test vehicle. Tests are being conducted on California roads.
Special equipment that provides the car with autonomous movement is placed on the roof of the vehicle. This unit contains at least 12 lidars. In addition, the car is equipped with numerous cameras, sensors, and radars. The onboard computer itself is most likely located in the trunk.
