Apple requested the cooperation of Hyundai Motor Company … Interest in the creation of the ‘Apple Car Alliance’

Check-in 2021.01.08 16:16

Apple, which analyzes that it will start producing autonomous electric vehicles, Hyundai Motor Company (005380)Interest is centered on the emergence of Apple Cars soliciting the cooperation of global automakers, including. When Apple’s finished car production plan becomes visible, not only Hyundai Motors, but also various companies like electronic parts are expected to enter the joint market, creating the so-called ‘Apple Car Alliance’.

Hyundai Motor Company announced on the 8th that, regarding Apple Car, “several companies are requesting cooperation for the joint development of autonomous electric vehicles, but it has not been specifically decided at the initial stage of the discussion.”

Recently, global IT and auto industry interest has centered on whether Apple will not only create software for autonomous vehicles, but will also launch its own finished car like Tesla. Experts are paying attention to the ‘Project Titan’ that Apple has been running since 2014, and a detailed analysis is also coming out that the project aims to launch an Apple car.

The reason why global companies are more interested in the emergence of Apple cars than consumers is that if they cooperate with Apple to produce finished cars, they are expected to create enormous added value. Considering the power of the Apple brand in the global market, there is an expectation that it will surpass the status of Tesla if it launches its own vehicle. In the field of finished cars, it is necessary to produce more than 100,000 units per year to make a profit, and Apple cannot complete autonomous electric vehicles with its own technology. I have no choice but to go.

In particular, if Apple produces its own car, it is likely to decide to outsource, as does the iPhone, and in this case, the role of partners is important. Apple designs smartphones and operating systems (OS) and outsources them to Foxconn to make finished products, and it is analyzed that Apple cars are likely to adopt the same production method as the iPhone.

In the industry, Hyundai Motors’ competitiveness as an Apple partner is highly evaluated. Hyundai Motor Group has the world’s fifth-largest production base for finished cars and the world’s second-largest hydrogen and electric vehicle sales performance. Recently, it has introduced E-GMP, an exclusive platform for electric vehicles, and has created an ecosystem that can reliably receive the electronic components necessary for the production of future mobility. Kang Seong-jin, an analyst at KB Securities, said: “Hyundai Motor Group is an attractive cooperation target for IT companies looking to enter the auto industry.” said.

Before Apple asked Hyundai Motor to discuss the cooperation, Magna, the world’s third-largest auto parts maker, was featured prominently as a candidate for consignment production of Apple cars. Magna is consigning vehicles from global brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, Volkswagen, Ferrari and Toyota. For this last month LG Electronics (066570)When the company announced that it had established a joint venture to produce electric vehicle powertrains with Magna, it was also predicted that the joint venture would supply the parts necessary for the production of Apple automobiles.

Earlier last month, it was also reported that Apple decided to jointly develop artificial intelligence (AI) chips for autonomous cars with TSMC, a Taiwanese foundry (consigned semiconductor production) company. TSMC is working with STMicroelectronics to further develop gallium hydrogen nitride (GaN) technology for use in hybrid car converters and chargers, reports that this is a development related to Apple cars.