BMW denies collaborating on Apple Car

Mon, Mar 9 2015

BMW and Apple already have a few possible partnerships coming in the future. For example, the Bavarian brand is likely using CarPlay at some point, and there may be an Apple Watch app for the i3 and i8 eventually, too. However, there is absolutely no plan for the German company to collaborate on the oft-rumored Apple car, the automaker says.

The rumor of this shared development first cropped up in the German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, according to Reuters. The report claimed that the Apple cars could be sold from Apple Stores but serviced at BMW dealers.

"We are in regular talks with companies from the IT and telecommunications sector, including Apple, concerning topics like connected vehicles. Developing or building a car is not a topic of these discussions," said a BMW spokesperson responding to the allegations to Reuters.

The Apple car has been a scorching hot topic as of late. The tech giant reportedly has assigned around 200 people to the project, including former employees from Tesla and A123 Systems. The EV model could be ready as soon as 2020, according to some stories.

This latest collaboration rumor seems especially dubious when you consider BMW's investments to develop the i3 and i8, though. With more models possibly on the way, it doesn't seem to make much sense to take on a development partner so late in the game. Last year, there were similar stories about a deal between the automaker and Tesla, which were also dismissed.

By Chris Bruce