New Apple Patent Hints At Electric Car With Lots Of Cameras, Computers

The long-awaited and heavily speculated Apple electric vehicle, presumably called the Apple Car, has created a buzz anew with a fresh patent that underscores game-changing features.

Porsche AG CEO Oliver Blum said last month that some of its managers traveled to the U.S in 2021 to discuss potential projects with the Cupertino-based tech titan Apple. The executive's statement revived speculations about the Apple Car and had industry watchers wondering if the supposed electric vehicle would really arrive soon.

While Apple has not yet said anything about the rumored electric vehicle, a new patent was published by the U.S. Patent Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), revealing that the said filing has been assigned to the tech giant. The U.S. 11,297,371 B1 is reportedly a patent for a "vehicle that has a plurality of cameras, a network interface, a memory, and one or more computer processors."

The patent confirmed earlier rumors that the tech giant is developing a very versatile and technologically advanced vehicle. Based on the document, the car will feature a complex system with cameras that will work with the Apple ecosystem.

With the feature, users will be able to map roads and send video recordings to friends and even authorities. The USPTO patent even noted that "conventional facilities for sharing current location include providing coordinates on a map, but map data may not tell the whole story."

Apart from taking footage inside the vehicle, the patent claimed that the camera system will allow recording videos from outside the vehicle. Drivers or passengers will also be able to check out the surroundings from their mobile devices or from the vehicle's infotainment display.

The patent also highlighted the use of mobile cameras to see the outer part of the vehicle, which can be an impressive safety feature.

To top it all off, the patent indicated that aside from letting users watch videos permanently recorded in the car, it will also allow them to see exactly which parts of the recordings they want.

It is worth noting, however, that the patent did not explicitly mention that it's for the rumored Apple Car. Therefore, fans should manage their expectations.