Apple reportedly wants to build self-driving car

Apple has reportedly approached car manufacturers and parts suppliers to help it build a driverless car.

A 'senior auto industry source familiar with the discussions' told Reuters that Apple wants to make an entire car, not just use its technology to control it. The company is learning how to make a car from a range of car manufacturers, while analysing the best route to go down, including weighing up options with how it's powered and other connected technologies to include.

"Fully automated driving is an evolution. Carmakers will slowly build the market for autonomous cars by first releasing connected and partially automated cars. Apple is interested in all the potential ways you can evolve the car; that includes autonomous driving," the source said.

Apple declined to give comment on the matter, but it does seem to be a logical route for the iPhone maker to go down.

Google has developed its own driverless car, while a number of other companies are trialling the potential of driverless technologies in the UK.

One such trial involves driverless cars making their way around Greenwich, Bristol, Milton Keynes and Coventry with a smartphone operating the vehicles as they drop off commuters around the areas. The battery-powered cars can reach speeds of up to 12mph in separate lanes from regular traffic and will receive funding of 19m from the government.

The Department of Transport has approved plans to have driverless cars on the roads this year, although the plans have come under fire from a number of bodies including the Institute of the Motor Industry, which has called for the government to implement a better strategy to prepare the motor industry for driverless vehicles.