If latest reports are to be believed, Apple is working on a secret car project. Quoting sources, Financial Times recently reported that the Cupertino-based tech titan is recruiting several automotive experts to work on automotive technologies in a lab located somewhere away from its headquarters. Reports related to the lab first came to the light in 2014 giving rise to speculations that the company is looking forward to come out with its own car - purportedly the iCar.

As far as vehicles are concerned, so far, Apple's involvement has been restricted to its CarPlay product, which allows users to manage their iPhones from a touch screen on a car dashboard, reports IB Times. It is being said that former Apple CEO and founder Steve Jobs, who died in 2012, was eyeing vehicles.

CNET quotes Millard Drexler, Apple board member and J. Crew CEO, telling in 2012, "Look at the car industry; it's a tragedy in America. Who is designing the cars?" He added, "Steve's dream before he died was to design an iCar."

In recent years, Apple has been trying to hire employees from electric car manufacturer Tesla Motors, in addition to recruiting experts from other major automotive companies like Mercedes-Benz with a view to fill the ranks in the tech titan's research and development division.

Apple's latest move may be simply aimed at expanding CarPlay, but the Financial Times reported that sources who spoke to them believed that the company may possibly working on a car.

According to recent rumors, Apple has been was exploring the self-driving car technologies. In fact, the tech giant has also filed several patent applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office, one of which would allow an iPhone to control some car functions remotely depending on the proximity of a user from his/ her vehicle.

In fact, Apple's rival Google too has also been working on a self-driving car, which is likely to start testing on public roads this year itself.