Apple increases ‘Apple Car’ hiring; Will Apple acquire Canoo?

Apple may be eyeing struggling electric-vehicle startup Canoo to help as the company ramps up its ‘Apple Car’ project.

Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:

In 2019, Apple purchased Drive.ai to bring in autonomous vehicle expertise. Some of the engineers and managers acquired in that deal are now central to the company’s work on a car operating system and self-driving software.
In recent months, Apple also hired several people from the auto industry to help ramp up its car development work after top managers left the project. It’s recruited key people from Ford, Rivian, Tesla, BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, Waymo and other brands.
But a potential acquisition target has emerged that could help Apple’s project even more: Canoo.
The EV startup, founded five years ago, has been struggling… It also wouldn’t be too difficult for Apple and Canoo to start talking. Canoo’s former chief executive officer, Ulrich Kranz, is now one of the top executives on Apple’s car project. Apple also has some former Canoo engineers on staff.
And the two companies have held talks before. They discussed ideas ranging from an investment to an acquisition back in 2020…

MacDailyNews Take: Gurman also reports that “Apple probably wouldn’t want the startup’s underlying technology in a deal, but that its engineering talent could be an asset,” citing “a person close to both Apple and Canoo.”
Canoo’s website states: Canoo’s mission is to bring EVs to everyone. The company has developed breakthrough electric vehicles that are reinventing the automotive landscape with bold innovations in design, pioneering technologies, and a unique business model that spans all owners in the full lifecycle of the vehicles.
Distinguished by its experienced team from leading technology and automotive companies – Canoo has designed a modular electric platform purpose-built to deliver maximum vehicle interior space that is customizable across all owners in the vehicle lifecycle to support a wide range of vehicle applications for consumers and businesses. Canoo has offices in California, Texas, and Michigan.
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