Indeed, when you compare Apple’s car with the latest iteration of Waymo’s self-driving minivan, the differences are striking. While Waymo has minimized and streamlined its sensors so they conform nicely with the vehicle’s body, Apple’s are perched on the vehicle’s roof like an ugly cargo carrier.

When I asked Higgins if he caught a look at the compute stack, he replied that it was likely located on the roof with the sensors. That would be a departure from other self-driving car operators, who typically load their high-powered GPUs in the vehicles’ spacious trunks.

Earlier this year, Apple caused a stir when it applied for and received a permit to test autonomous vehicles on public roads in California.