San Francisco, May 15: With 55 self-driving cars and 83 drivers, Apple now has the second highest number of self-driving cars in the US state of California where autonomous vehicles are being tested.

The Cupertino-based tech giant had 45 self-driving cars until late March.

"Apple has the second highest number of self-driving cars after General Motor's Cruise, which has 104 vehicles as of now," MacReports reported late on Monday.

"Apple grew from 3 to 45 between April 2017 and March 2018 and now this number has increased to 55," the report added.

Behind Apple is Alphabet's Waymo which currently has 51 self-driving vehicles and Elon Musk-owned Tesla which has 39 cars.

Currently, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has provided permits to 53 companies for self-driving cars that include safety drivers, resulting in a total of 409 vehicles and 1,573 safety drivers in the US.

As of now, the DMV has not issued any permits for complete driverless testing because for that to happen, companies must have to have a pre-testing of the vehicles in controlled conditions. 

"The DMV is currently reviewing two driverless testing permit applications," a DMV spokesperson reportedly told TechCrunch. 

Code-named "Project Titan", Apple's self-driving programme's fleet is reportedly made up of Lexus RX450h SUVs, each of which is fitted with huge racks of LIDAR and radar sensors as well as cameras. 

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Belthangady: A 19-year-old girl from Belalu village, who had attempted suicide at home by consuming poison, has reportedly died at a hospital in Mangaluru.

The deceased, Rama, was the daughter of Dinesh and Revathi Naik of Mayada Balemandikallu in Belalu village, Belthangady taluk, and a II PUC student at Vamapadavu College.

Rama’s attempt to commit suicide is being linked to personal matters, as she is known to have loved a youngster.

On the night of April 19, she reportedly consumed rat poison at her residence and was admitted to a hospital in Mangaluru for treatment. After 10 days of treatment, she died on April 30 after failing to respond to medical care.

A case has been registered at the Dharmasthala Police Station, and investigation is underway.

(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the state’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416.)