Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple is scrapping Project Titan, its long-running electric car initiative. This marks a major shift for the company, which began work on a fully autonomous, electric vehicle back in 2014, aiming to disrupt the automotive industry the way the iPhone transformed smartphones.
Initial vision: A luxurious, self-driving car with voice navigation. Apple’s team changed frequently, and the challenges of full autonomy proved greater than anticipated. Testing began in 2017.
COO Jeff Williams and VP Kevin Lynch recently informed employees of the project’s end. Some staff will shift to Apple’s AI division (likely focusing on generative AI), while others may face layoffs.
Initially, Apple envisioned a car without a steering wheel or pedals, even exploring a remote command center for control. Retailing at $100,000, concerns arose about profit margins and the massive ongoing investment required.
