Apple has confirmed that it is interested developing autonomous driving systems in a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

As reported by Carscoops, Apple’s Director of product integrity, Steve Kenner wrote the letter, claiming that the company maybe developing the systems and wants to focus on its interest in machine learning and automation and pinpoints transportation as a key area of interest. The letter also tells the NHTSA that new entrants in to the auto industry should have the same rights as established companies. Currently, existing car makers don’t have to pursue exemptions when testing vehicles on public roads but new companies do.

Elsewhere in the letter, Apple also wishes for the industry to share data for autonomous technologies.

"By sharing data, the industry will build a more comprehensive dataset than any one company could create alone. This will allow everyone in the industry to design systems to better detect and respond to the broadest set of nominal and edge-case scenarios... Data sharing should not come at the cost of privacy. Apple believes that companies should invest the resources necessary to protect individuals’ fundamental right to privacy."

So does this mean that Apple will be scrapping its plans to launch its self-driving, all-electric vehicle?