A company source told Reuters that Apple has welcomed Alexander Hitzinger, a project manager who aided the German company's return to Le Mans, to its fold. Hitzinger is the latest auto specialist to be recruited by Apple as it spearheads efforts to make its own car. He helped Porsche not only make its way back to endurance racing but also contributed to the development of the 919 hybrid sports car.
In Apple's letter to the NHTSA, Kenner wrote, "The company is investing heavily in the study of machine learning and automation, and is excited about the potential of automated systems in many areas, including transportation." The company also urged regulators not to impose too many restrictions on testing of self-driving cars, saying "established manufacturers and new entrants should be treated equally."
The move, first reported by Germany's Manager Magazin, is yet to be confirmed by Hitzinger or Apple. Manager Magazin quoted him as saying he wanted to do something "which has a significant and direct impact on society" but did not confirm he now worked at Apple. Porsche, on the other hand, has only stated that Hitzinger had indeed left the company in March 2016. To further add fuel to this fire, Hitzinger's LinkedIn profile states he joined a "Technology Company" located in the San Francisco Bay Area as an engineering executive in April.
