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Apple's mystery auto project siphoning staff from other divisions

Cook and Co still want to take to the roads – but how?

Apple is investing significant resources into a car-related project, so much so that it's been reassigning employees from other divisions, insiders claim.

Sources familiar with the matter told El Reg that Apple has shifted so much staff towards its auto division that senior managers in other divisions are complaining about the loss of talent from their teams.

Details on the project are scarce, though word is that it would see Apple competing directly with Google in the car space.

Whether the mystery project is a full Apple-branded car or just an Apple OS built in to a car from another automaker remains to be seen. Apple currently has close relationships with a number of automakers through its CarPlay platform, and developing software for established car companies would make more sense than going alone with an entirely new auto operation.

However, Apple execs are reportedly grumbling about the drain the project is having on personnel resources from other divisions. This would suggest that Apple is planning something rather more ambitious than your run-of-the-mill in-car infotainment system.

Apple has previously been tied to the auto market. Earlier this year, an Apple car was spotted driving around Silicon Valley. While some speculated the car was a self-driving prototype, however, it was later revealed to be collecting images for a street view feature for iOS Maps. ®

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