More Apple Car mutterings: Cupertino slurps more autobiz brains

Internet mumblings anent the long-speculated-upon Apple car have intensified following the news that the fruity firm has hired another chap from the auto industry.

Doug Betts was the lead for global quality at the Italian-American multinational Fiat Chrysler until last year, but joined Apple in July according to his LinkedIn profile, reports the Wall Street Journal.

That Apple is interested in manufacturing vehicles has been touted for quite a while and the flames were fanned when its chief operations suit, Jeff Williams, described cars as "the ultimate mobile device".

As the WSJ notes, Betts' expertise in building cars suggests the fruity folk are interested in more than a bit of dashboard gadgetry.

Continuing its latter-year assimilation of automotive experts from Mercedes-Benz for the rumoured automotive product, which the WSJ claims is an electric-car product codenamed "Titan".

Cupertino is known to have been secretly shuffling employees around its car-related project. It is expected to be preparing an entry into the future, driverless, automotive industry.

The Register has contacted Apple for comment regarding the development of an automotive product and will update this article if we receive a reply. Readers are not advised to hold their breath. ®