Apple Inc. is canceling its electric car project, which was under development for nearly 10 years, Bloomberg reported, citing people with knowledge of the matter.
The tech major is likely to move some of the nearly 2,000 employees in the Special Projects Group, called Project Titan, to its generative artificial intelligence or AI division.
The decision was shared internally by Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams and Kevin Lynch, a vice president in charge of the effort, the report said.
Project Titan reportedly was considered one of the most ambitious projects in Apple’s history. As per the report, the decision to cancel the project was taken as it never fits with Apple’s core business of electronics and online services. It also raised questions about Apple’s facilities to manufacture a vehicle.
It was in 2024 that reports of Apple’s ambition to build a car first emerged after the firm recruited automotive engineers and others from auto companies.
Over the years, Apple’s Special Projects Group had several reorganizations. The company in these years operated a program, in which autonomous Apple-owned cars equipped with sensors and safety drivers cruised around the San Francisco Bay Area.
In 2021, reports emerged that Apple agreed to invest 4 trillion won or $3.6 billion in Kia Motors Corp. as part of a collaboration between the companies in making electric vehicles. The iPhone maker reportedly was hoping to build Apple cars at the South Korean carmaker’s facility in Georgia, U.S., and expected to unveil Apple cars in 2024.
Apart from the electric car project, Apple is developing other automotive-related projects, including its infotainment CarPlay software, which has been installed on 80 percent of new vehicles.
Further, the company continues to develop health technologies mainly for Apple Watches. The company recently unveiled its first virtual reality headset, the Vision Pro.
Apple Cancels Electric Car Project
2024-02-28 11:25:42
