Apple is increasingly isolated… Volkswagen CEO “I’m not afraid of Apple cars”

Negotiations between the Hyundai Motor Group and Apple for the self-driving electric vehicle’Apple Car’ broke down. The photo shows Hyundai Motor Company headquarters in Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 9th. 2021.2.9/News1 © News1-Following Hyundai and Kia Motors, Apple has stopped discussing its i-car cooperation with Nissan, Japan, as well as the CEO of Volkswagen saying, “Apple is not scary,” and Apple insisting on its own brand is increasingly isolated. Has become.

It is observed that it will not be easy for Apple to find a business partner as the discussions for cooperation with Nissan have recently collapsed following Hyundai and Kia Motors.

Foreign media are analyzing that if Apple wants to simply subcontract to automakers as it is now, there will be few options.

CNN estimates that many companies, from Tesla to Ford to Honda, are among the candidates, but in reality, Apple has not many options. Car makers, even if they cooperate with Apple as they want Apple to take control of both software and hardware, are different. It is an analysis that it will not actively cooperate with Apple because it is difficult to obtain profits. There is a risk that finished car makers will be recognized as subcontractors of Apple. It is known that Hyundai and Kia Motors also ended negotiations, saying that Apple insisted on maintaining its own brand, and that there is a risk of being recognized as a subcontractor.

The Financial Times (FT) of the UK said, “Global automakers are reluctant to play Foxconn’s role in the automotive industry.” In terms of manufacturing iPhones, Taiwanese companies Foxconn and Apple are partners, but the two companies are not equal. That means Foxconn is more of an Apple subcontractor.

Global automakers are not good at being recognized as subcontractors of Apple because their brand is very important.

In the midst of this, Volkswagen of Germany, which is being discussed as another partner of Apple, is drawing a line of cooperation with Apple by saying “I am not afraid of Apple cars.”

“I’m not concerned about the impact of Apple’s EV plans,” said CEO Herbert Dis. Volkswagen.

He said in an interview with Frankfurter Algemaine Chaitung on the 14th (local time), “The automobile industry is different from the technology field that can catch up with one shot.”

He emphasized that because Apple has technology in the battery, software, and design fields and has abundant funds, it is natural to try to enter the automobile industry, but it is not something to be afraid of.

(Seoul = News 1)