According to financial and business news website Insider Deutschland, Apple has added a reputable employee to its team, Porsche’s Vice President of Chassis Development.
News of Apple’s new hire broke via Insider Deutschland. Dr. Manfred Harrer from Porsche will be joining Apple’s teams to likely share his expertise in terms of car body development on the very much alive Project Titan.
Dr. Harrer worked for Porsche for over a decade with his most recently accomplishment with the company being the addition of the Cayenne series. Harrer has been a leader in chassis development since 2016. According to Insider Deutschland, Porsche, Apple, and Dr. Harrer declined to comment.
Earlier this month, news broke from the Korea Economic Daily that Hyundai was in early talks with Apple to produce new battery technology different from the kind used in the South Korean automaker’s new battery electric vehicle platform.
A spokesperson for Hyundai later confirmed to CNBC that Apple and Hyundai have been in talks: “We understand that Apple is in discussion with a variety of global automakers, including Hyundai Motor. As the discussion is at its early stage, nothing has been decided.”
As far as Hyundai is concerned regarding their role in Project Titan, the report from Insider Deutschland states the automaker is worried about being “degraded to service providers” for Apple should their car production strategy become in-house.