Apple buys a self-driving car company to map the world’s largest ball of twine.

Apple Inc. said on Wednesday it would buy Dr. Dre-backed self-driving car startup Voyage in an unusual expansion of its core offerings and a rare acquisition.<br><br>Chief Executive Tim Cook, who said in 2021 that Apple was working on a car, told investors at the time at a meeting at the company’s headquarters that Apple had never seriously considered a full vehicle and was instead focused on the underlying technology.<br><br>The company is also pursuing a subscription service for electric vehicles, Cook said, without giving details, though he said it already had a number of partners.<br><br>Apple’s self-driving car project, known as Project Titan, has been in flux, with the company scaling back its ambitions to build a full-fledged self-driving car in favor of developing an advanced driver-assistance system.<br><br>Voyage and its self-driving cars operate in retirement communities and restricted areas. It was founded in 2016 by a pair of former Google engineers and backed by investors including Khosla Ventures and Initialized Capital.<br><br>The acquisition price was not disclosed and the companies did not respond to requests for comment. Apple shares were up 1.8% at $179.50.