Letter suggests Apple and Google will also compete in the self-driving vehicle market

Google and Apple are now long-time enemies. They continue to fight in the smartphone, tablet, smart TV and wearable markets (among others), but recent rumors suggest they are also taking this fight to the road, where self-driving cars are said to rule in the near future. Today we are getting more solid confirmation the iPhone maker is jumping on the self-driving wagon.

Apple has revealed a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, expressing their position on how self-driving vehicle regulations should be handled in the years to come. While the iPhone maker is not confirming its involvement in the market, the sole fact that they have taken the time to write to U.S. regulators means their interest in self-driving cars is strong. This makes previous rumors much more credible than ever.

The document goes on to mention matters regarding security, privacy and the benefit of sharing data across companies. Their idea is that companies should share data that could be used to improve all self-driving systems. This would make vehicles more secure for drivers (riders?), as systems could learn from a broader collection of data. But Apple also wants the government to care about privacy, something they should consider when regulating said data.

Apple then goes on to talk about giving a fair chance to newer manufacturers. It seems more established car makers have an easier time testing vehicles in public roads, while newcomers need to go through more obstacles to get a car out there.

You can read the whole letter by downloading the PDF file here. It is pretty interesting to see this new technology making it to the world, especially considering it will be a life-changing experience. Now we just have to wait and see what Apple has for our future.