BMW, Mercedes end 'Titan' car project negotiations with Apple: Report
If you're familiar with Apple Maps, the current set of automobile software from Apple is comfortable from the get-go.
BMW and Mercedes' parent company Daimler have ended talks with Apple over a collaboration for its internal "Project Titan" car initiative, reports German business publication Handelsblatt.
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The duo are said to have walked away from a deal after being unable to come to terms with who will own data received from customers' driving. Apple wants to build its own cloud infrastructure for the Titan project, said to be released by 2019, and the automakers don't want to give up that control.
Rumors of Apple's car ambitions started in 2015 with a report from the Wall Street Journal. The well-connected publication reported Apple has moved the car project to "committed" internally and plans to show a car to customers in the coming years. Further, Apple has been building out its CarPlay software in third-party automakers' vehicles.
It's likely Apple is looking to pair with an experienced auto manufacturer, as it has no experience manufacturing automobiles. BMW is said to have pulled away from a deal in 2015, and Dailmer is said to have pulled away more recently.
SEE ALSO: Apple hires former Tesla VP for 'special projects': Report
Apple is researching an Apple car at a test site in Silicon Valley, according to testing location documents shown last year. Neighbors are also complaining about car noise around the facility.
Earlier this week, it was reported the rumored "Apple Car" could be manufactured in Austria by BMW and Mini manufacturer Magna.