We’re used to seeing Apple patents demonstrating new technology the company has been testing in its gadgets, but this one is a bit unusual. Apple this week received a patent for a car sunroof from the US Patent and Trademark Office.
Reports on the internet suggested that Apple is working on a futuristic electric vehicle (EV) and that it may be collaborating with a renowned automaker for its innovative EV idea. Now, with the recent news about the sunroof patent, things seem to be getting clearer now.
The Apple-patented sunroof consists of variable translucent glass, which allows the driver to adjust the transparency of the sunroof. The patent also shows that the sunroof opens together with the side windows, unlike existing cars with similar technologies that have a fixed sunroof.
Apple’s vehicle with a customizable translucent area defined on the window is another aspect of the configurations revealed. The variable light transmittance area can be adjusted to allow a certain amount of light to pass through the window. A moving panel assembly can be moved between closed and open positions.
This means drivers of the anticipated ‘Apple Car’ will have the option of letting sunlight into the car without having to open the sunroof, or open it all the way to get some fresh air. It’s not hard to imagine Apple Car’s sunroof customizations being accessed via voice commands from CarPlay or Siri.
For now, the most crucial aspect of this patent is that it confirms any suspicions that suggest Apple is working on its own vehicle.
According to recent reports, Apple is still developing and testing a new self-driving vehicle system, and is discussing production plans with other companies. Even if all the reports are true, the Apple Car won’t be released for another 3 to 4 years, mainly because the company is constantly losing its engineers working on the project.
Via 9to5mac
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