For the past few weeks, the rumor that Apple has become close to Hyundai in South Korea has been active, but executives are "split" in Hyundai in a partnership with Apple in Hyundai.The observation is reported.
In the first place, it was reported earlier this month that Hyundai was discussing with Apple on the development of autonomous cars.However, a few hours later, Hyundai cut off the reference to Apple and issued a statement that "has been contacted by a potential partner for the development of autonomous driving EVs."
In addition, it was rumored that Apple and Hyundai signed a production contract by March, and reported that Kia's affiliated cars under Hyundai will be manufactured.At the same time, the specific outlook was that the Apple Car production base will be Kina's George Factory.
However, according to a new REUTERS report, Hyundai executives are "in agony about how to do it (partners with Apple) and how to do it.""We are not a company that manufactures cars for other companies. If you associate with Apple, you will not always get good results."
Hyundai is a company that produces engine, transmissions, and steel in the company under vertical integrated supply chains, and is known for being reluctant to cooperate with outsiders.According to the above reports, Kia and Hyundai's shares have soared, but it is said that becoming an Apple contract manufacturer is strong and may hold a partnership.
Apple and Hyundai have begun a partnership discussions to return to 2018, when Alexander Hitzinger, who belongs to Volkswagen, led the Apple's autonomous driving project.In other words, it can be interpreted that Hyundai has not progressed due to the reluctance to cooperate with other companies, despite consulting for two years.
According to a person who is familiar with the circumstances, Hyundai says that it is highly likely that some executives must be replaced in order to avoid clashes between internal culture under partnership with Apple."Apple is a boss. They do marketing, make products, and create brands. Hyundai is also a boss. This is not a job."
According to other circumstances, Apple is procuring main parts of its own design, such as frames, body, and drive train, from various places, and is trying to rely on Hyundai and Kia's power in the final assembly.
This is easy to understand through the words by another anonymous Hyundai executive, "I want high -tech companies like Google and Apple that we want to be (assembly of iPhone) Foxconn."In other words, the brand image of Hyundai and Kia may be enhanced at the beginning of the partnership, but in the medium to long term, Apple is the brain, and Hyundai is a concern that it will be located in the assembly supplier.
At the end of last year (2020), REUTERS reported that Apple Car reported that "production will start in 2024 as early as 2024", while Bloomberg stated that it was "not close to the production stage."The reason for the prediction for each information source may be because there are more unknown elements, as there are more unknown elements, as a negotiated partner's automaker is subcontracted by a negotiated partner's automaker.
Source: Reuters
