Apple Working On Own EV, Launch Reportedly Delayed To 2028.
Apple plans to launch its electric vehicle in 2028, after scrapping plans to develop a fully self-driving car.
Project Titan, Apple’s highly anticipated electric vehicle (EV) initiative, is once again in the news.
The company’s initial goal for the project, which started in 2015, was to create a fully autonomous vehicle without a steering wheel, but it has encountered many obstacles and executive turnover. Nonetheless, new Bloomberg reports indicate a change in tactics towards a more practical approach.
According to Bloomberg, Apple intends to introduce its electric vehicle as early as 2028. The firm is developing an electric vehicle with fewer features, more in line with the current lineup of Tesla models. The model will be available in 2028, two years later than previously anticipated.
Apple’s Vice President, Kevin Lynch, has led Project Titan since 2021, and the company’s vision for the electric vehicle has evolved under his leadership. According to the revised plan, the Apple car will operate as a Level 2+ system, similar to Tesla’s Autopilot, meaning that drivers must stay alert and prepared to take over.
Apple’s decision to abandon the initial Level 4 autonomy goal reflects an understanding of the challenges and regulatory constraints associated with fully autonomous driving. According to reports, the company may look into ways to increase autonomy through future software updates to align with the changing international regulatory landscape.
The Bloomberg report provides insight into Apple’s internal dynamics as well. It reveals that last year, Tim Cook, the company’s CEO, was under pressure from the board to either deliver a detailed plan for Project Titan’s execution or consider scrapping the project entirely. Notably, no workable prototype has been created by the project as of yet.
While Apple’s Vice President, Kevin Lynch’s leadership raises hopes for the project’s success, some employees remain concerned about the level of innovation in the first Apple car.
According to Bloomberg’s warning about possible scepticism within the company, some may see Apple’s electric vehicle initiative as a “me-too product,” devoid of the innovative features that have made Apple’s previous successful initiatives stand out.
It has been one of Apple’s most costly projects over the past ten years, with the company allegedly spending hundreds of millions of dollars annually on engineering for chips and car parts, salaries, cloud-based systems, and closed-road testing. As of right now, CarPlay software—which gives drivers access to iPhone functions like Siri and maps—represents Apple’s only real foray into the automotive market.
