Apple hires ex-Porsche chassis executive to work on Apple car
Apple has hired Manfred Harrer, a former head of chassis development at Porsche.
Apple, more than any other major tech company, is associated with great design. Dating back to the original Apple II and Macintosh, through the original iMac and iPod, and up to date with the latest iPhones and iPads, Apple makes beautifully sleek products that often look like they should be sitting in a gallery.
So it’s no surprise to hear that Apple has been doing its best to work on its secret self-driving car project. According to Business Insider Deutschland, Apple has hired Manfred Harrer, a former head of chassis development at Porsche.
Chassis expertise research
Described by MacRumors as an executive with “chassis design expertise,” we hope Harrer can sprinkle a bit of Porsche aesthetic shine, alongside whatever other automotive expertise he no doubt brings to the table. .
Harrer worked for the Volkswagen Group for more than 13 years, before leaving the company last year – supposedly without knowing what job he would take up next. He last worked on the Cayenne product line, Porsche’s luxury crossover sport utility vehicle.
The news that Harrer has joined Apple isn’t just a reminder that the Apple car has some awesome executives working on it, though. It also muddies the water regarding what exactly Apple has planned with its first electric, self-driving vehicle.
Some Apple Car reports have suggested that Apple will team up with an automaker and only provide the software side of the project. While there’s obviously no definitive confirmation one way or the other, the fact that Apple is reportedly recruiting a chassis development expert suggests that it will take an active role in shaping the design of the Apple car—or whatever it’s called.
Apple is big on design
Anyone familiar with the breadth of Apple’s design process probably won’t be too surprised. After all, Apple is a vertically integrated company that aims to control its products as much as possible to ensure that everything is up to its high quality.
The latest rumors suggest that a possible Apple car could take off around 2025. Given the success of fellow design-focused tech leader Tesla, it’s sure to face stiff competition to become Silicon’s premier automaker. Valley.
Again, the example of Tesla also demonstrates that it is possible to challenge the incumbent automotive giants and win.
