Nissan confirms it is not in talks with Apple over autonomous car project

Less than a week after reports surfaced that Nissan could be a potential partner for the Apple Car , the Japanese car maker confirmed that it is not in talks with Apple.

A Nissan spokeswoman told Reuters that the company is not in talks with Apple, but "is always open to exploring collaborations and partnerships to accelerate industry transformation".

A separate report from the Financial Times claims that Apple approached Nissan about a potential partnership "in recent months". Discussions were reportedly brief and did not reach senior management levels due to a disagreement over Apple's branding request. 

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Apparently, Apple wanted Nissan to manufacture cars that carry Apple's branding. Nissan COO Ashwani Gupta told the Financial Times that the company will not change the way it makes cars.

“The way we design, the way we develop, and the way we manufacture is going to be as an automotive manufacturer, as Nissan"

Recent weeks have seen numerous reports about the Apple Car. Nikkei reported early this month that Apple approached at least six automakers.

Regulatory filings reveal that Hyundai and Kia are not in talks with Apple. Korean media previously said that Apple and Hyundai would be signing a deal for the Apple Car by March.