Reports of Apple's electric car project are starting to stack up, and one of the major features apparently being tested is self-driving technology.

Currently, self-driving technology is only available on a handful of cars, offering a 'pilot-mode' which switches lanes, brakes on red lights and keeps a standard speed on the roads.

Like Us on Facebook

Apple might be looking to offer similar technology in its own electric car that allows users to sit back when driving on freeways. This won't be fully self-driving but would be more than the typical auto-pilot offers.

Most companies working on self-driving platforms are aiming for 2020 launch. This means Apple doesn't even need to work on a full platform for its first launch expected in 2017 or 2018.

The second or third model of the Apple car could feature the complete self-driving package. But even then, automotive legislation might ban self-driving outright and maintain that a driver must always be ready to take the wheel in case of emergency.

Apple already has an upper-hand compared to most car companies by owning a mapping platform -- Apple Maps -- which will work as the backbone for getting around town in the car.

The self-driving project could also explain why Apple is driving around large minivans with cameras on the top. The cameras take photos of the surrounding area and allow Apple to map every object on the road.

Having this object catalog will allow Apple to input decisions for self-driving control, making the platform even more sophisticated.

Nobody knows what the Apple car looks like; what price point it's aiming for or even if Cupertino is actually working on an electric vehicle. CEO Tim Cook has given no hints as to whether the project is real. Apple's lead designer Jony Ive did say he was displeased with the state of car design, however.

There are rumors Apple is also attempting to acquire Tesla Motors from Elon Musk for upwards of $75 billion, three times the current valuation price for the electric car vendor.

TagsSelf-Driving Car, automotive