The Apple Car was supposed to be a futuristic electric car, but in a surprising move, tech giant Apple has officially announced the cancellation of this project. According to reports from Bloomberg, the decision was internally communicated by Jeff Williams, Apple's COO, and Kevin Lynch, vice president who has been overseeing the project since 2021.
According to the report, Apple's top executives made this decision in recent weeks. The project had reached a "turning point" within the company, and Tim Cook was under pressure from shareholders to make a decision.
Known as "Project Titan," over 2.000 employees have been working on the Apple Car project. Following the decision to shut down the project, some employees will be transferred to Apple's artificial intelligence team, led by John Giannandrea. However, not all those involved in the Apple Car project will have this option. According to Bloomberg, some employees may seek positions in other Apple teams, but there will also be layoffs. The exact number of layoffs has not yet been clarified.
What was the Apple Car supposed to look like?
Apple has been working on the prototype of an electric car, the Apple Car, since 2014. The project has had very good moments, but also less favorable ones over the years. Recently, it has been speculated that Apple aimed to launch an electric car in 2028, with an estimated price of $100.000. Initially, the company's goal was to deliver a fully autonomous car, without a steering wheel or pedals, but these ambitions have been scaled back in recent years.
Regarding project management, it was coordinated by Doug Field. Tesla initially hired Field from Apple in 2013 to help with the production of the Model 3. Later, Field returned to Apple in 2018 to lead the Apple Car project, but in September 2021, he left for Ford.
