This logic is flawed. If you want to test something secretly you do it in plain sight and use mis-direction. Buy some Tesla vehicles and put your electronics inside -- can you tell who owns the software and hardware inside when looking at the outside? Use a Chevy volt for the really juicy stuff, nobody will even blink. If you need to test a fancy new sensor, buy a white car and slap Google on the side, everyone knows Google is testing this stuff, so meh!

Android was in development and publically known about for years before Apple unveiled the iPhone. Now all new phones are basically large touch sensitive screens.

So who knows?

That's a silly assertion to make. Apple is well known for secrecy, and any prototype vehicles driving on the streets are not likely to be branded with their logo. How do you know they aren't already driving vehicles on the roads?

Also, whether they are currently road testing vehicles or not, that doesn't change the fact that Apple is increasing R&D spending.

Government permission was quietly granted already. It was just quietly done.