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Apple said to show interest in automotive testing facility

SAN FRANCISCO — Adding fuel to rumours that Apple is working on designs for a car, officials in the San Francisco Bay Area city of Concord say engineers for the tech giant recently made enquiries about a testing ground for self-driving cars and other cutting-edge vehicles.

SAN FRANCISCO — Adding fuel to rumours that Apple is working on designs for a car, officials in the San Francisco Bay Area city of Concord say engineers for the tech giant recently made enquiries about a testing ground for self-driving cars and other cutting-edge vehicles.

Apple, best known for making iPhones and Mac computers, has not said what kind of testing it hopes to conduct at Concord’s GoMentum Station automotive testing facility, which used to be a naval station.

The nearly 2,000ha site has around 30km of paved roads, including overpasses, tunnels and railroad crossings, said the agency’s website, which calls it “the largest secure test facility in the world”.

GoMentum Station already has an agreement with Honda, which plans to test automated vehicle systems there. Mr Jack Hall, programme manager for connected vehicles and autonomous vehicles at GoMentum Station, said his agency hopes to partner other firms for testing self-driving cars and “connected vehicles” — cars that use the Internet and local networks to exchange a variety of information with other devices and vehicles.

Apple has “shown interest” in the facility but has not reached any agreement for testing there, Mr Hall said. Company representatives have not actually visited yet, he said.

In February, The Wall Street Journal cited sources who said Apple is working on designs for an electric vehicle to be sold under the Apple brand. Analysts say Apple has the financial wherewithal and ambition to pursue such a project, although some believe it is more likely interested in developing software for use in cars. AP

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