Minimalist American technology and spirited Italian supercars don’t immediately go hand in hand, but according to Bloomberg, Cupertino-based tech giant Apple and famed Maranello-based car makers Ferrari are apparently looking to strengthen their relationship going forward, but to what end?
In the midst of the Geneva motor show, Ferrari chairman – Luca Cordero Di Montezemolo said that the relationship between these two huge brands will become “more precise” in the coming months. The carmaker used the motor show to unveil their new hybrid LaFerrari supercar, which in effect shows the company’s shifting attention to more advanced technologies; both engineering wise and through the use of electronics.
At Apple’s WWDC last year, one of the newest additions to Siri (their iOS-based virtual assistant) was dubbed Eyes Free: a car integration system which involved partnering with a range of automotive manufacturers including BMW, General Motors, Mercedes, Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota, Chrysler and Honda. At the time, neither Fiat (Ferrari’s parent company) nor Ferrari themselves featured on the list, but beside the tech-heavy LaFerrari, the company also introduced the first example of a joint effort between these two brands in the form of a ramped up FF.
The four seater doesn’t yet have a price, but it does feature Eyes Free-style Siri integration and comes complete with two iPad Minis. Small steps for the moment, but perhaps later this year we’ll see a true Apple/Ferrari project which will really turn heads in the mobile and automotive industries alike.
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