Apple’s car project could put it on a collision course with Tesla

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Rumors are continuing to trickle in about Apple's long-expected car project. On Wednesday, CNBC reported that Apple is close to finalizing a deal for an Apple Car to be manufactured at Kia's assembly plant in West Point, Georgia, an hour southwest of Atlanta. Apple is a famously secretive company, and I don't have any inside information about Apple's plans. But I'm skeptical that whatever product Apple ultimately unveils will match CNBC's description of it.

According to CNBC, the Apple Car, due out in 2024 or 2025, will be "fully autonomous." One source told CNBC that Apple is aiming to make "autonomous, electric vehicles designed to operate without a driver and focused on the last mile." CNBC predicts that the cars could be used for food delivery or in a robotaxi service.

If true, that would represent a dramatic departure for Apple. A central feature of Apple's corporate culture is that it sells hardware products directly to users. There are technology companies like IBM and Microsoft that focus on selling to business customers. There are technology companies—from Uber to Google—that focus on building services.

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