If Apple Corporation Built A Car

Future Toyota Prius?
It is notable that two Apple products ended up in Time magazine’s Products of the Year – the iPhone and the iPod Touch.

It is also interesting that Microsoft has entered into an association with Ford Motor Company to include their Windows voice activated SYNC software for Ford cars (with a vary similar product most hated on the new BMWs).

We already know that Apple has a lock on the paradigm of design excellence because they take great pains to make sure their products are not only perfect, but that their user interfaces are beautiful, completely functional and stellar in every detail.

It would be very easy to port all this to an automobile, you know? Perhaps a lightweight conveyance utilizing a small four-banger diesel-type engine that can take advantage of multiple fuels, including compressed air. The output of the engine could power batteries or fuel cells which in turn could drive small motor/brakes in each wheel.

Volvo Tandem Concept
For my own taste, I would prefer a small four-wheeled tandem. However, your mileage (and taste) may vary.

Either way, we are talking a completely new automotive paradigm here. Starting with a fresh clean page. such small vehicles would qualify for car pool lane usage, and would bypass completely all the angst of the big three with their overblown staffing/bureaucracies/antiquated assembly plants/ultra-expensive unions, etc. Believe me, such a new paradigm in creating and producing such a new conveyance could only be done by someone like Apple.

Citi Car (Time Magazine)
But where an Apple Car would shine would be inside, with the driver interface. There would likely be no voice commands (which Steve Jobs seems to shy away from, since the current technology is still so buggy). Instead, the tactile-touch controls would mostly be in the steering wheel, and you already know would be vastly more intuitive and useful than could be found in any current car on the market.

Future Hyundai
In fact, all of the electronics would be in one self-contained POD before the driver. This pod would include (outside) headlights/signals, side and rear view cams, windshield, wipers, (inside) electronic steering/gas/brakes, heating/air conditioning, airbags, radio/phone/speakers, and interior lighting – as well as the digital dash instruments (a genuine Mac Tablet). Wiring would be greatly simplified and the whole self-contained unit could easily be built in its own in-house facility.

Wheel, motor, drive units, suspension and axels could be identical front and rear, and bolted as twin units to the shell-space frame of the car, and again, built in its own facility in the factory. The tiny sealed engine/inter-cooler/heat-exchanger/fuel tank unit ditto.

Obviously the seats and interior, as well as many other niceties would need to be top-flight, even if the Apple car were to be small and ‘cheap.’ Take for instance the instruments on the ‘dash.’ I for one, love the OPTITRON Toyota LED instruments. By far, they are light-years ahead of any other manufacturer’s instrumentations. The Apple car could easily top these by providing the user/owner with the ability to change the design of their instruments at will. Dash Widgets anyone?

Nissan Van concept
I picture the Apple car coming in one base color – white. However, it can be electronically changed to any color or shade by the on-board Apple software using the new paramagnetic ‘paint’ built into the body of the car.

You noticed that there were no tail lights on that dash module, did you? No problemo. The taillights are ‘painted’ into the back of the car’s body and activated through the same wireless electronics that power the paint color. In fact, you the owner, get to choose the design of your taillights and many other design features of your new Apple car.

And, since OIL is hitting one hundred dollars a barrel about now, the Apple car should provide the user/owner with a hundred MPG, right?

Someone’s Mini
I don’t know what you think, but Apple is setting on about 25 BILLION in unused funds right now. What could they spend it on? What, I wonder? (And what to do with that big new campus, huh?) Imagine. A tentative new Apple car product introduced at a future keynote in San Francisco some January would definitely knock everyone’s socks off, no?

Anyone have Steve Jobs email addy? Please let me know if you do. All replies in complete confidentiality. (or just send him this blog – thanks in advance.) =)

Regards,
Roger Born
“Sorry. No Refunds”

All photo sources posted in and through the rights of Creative Commons on the web – Single use, November 2007

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ADDENDUM

Quick and Dirty Sketch of the DashPOD (for a Tandom)
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