The Latest on Apple's Mysterious Car Project (Project Titan)
Delay in Apple's Automotive Project: Sources Suggest Release Moved to 2028
Things haven't gone as smoothly as Apple might've hoped with its highly anticipated electric vehicle (EV) project, codenamed Project Titan. Reportedly set to debut in 2028, this innovative creation has hit yet another snag, according to a recent Bloomberg report.
Initially, back in 2014, Apple envisioned a completely driverless EV for the grand unveiling in 2025. However, encountering some technological challenges and reconsidering its priorities, the company has now shifted its focus, aiming to incorporate self-driving features in the final product.
As of this writing, Apple hasn't officially commented on the delay or confirmed if the Apple Car is actually in development.
The road to the Apple Car has been a bumpy one, to say the least. In 2021, the vehicle's progress was halted due to numerous setbacks, such as the departure of several key project managers and failed negotiations with automakers Kia and Hyundai. An additional blow came last year when a former Apple software engineer was charged by the U.S. Department of Justice for allegedly stealing autonomous driving technology from a Chinese company.
In today's automotive landscape, dreams of a robo-taxi utopia haven't exactly materialized seamlessly. Last year, Cruise, a robo-taxi company, faced harsh scrutiny after a driverless vehicle struck a pedestrian. The mishap resulted in an investigation, the recall of the company's entire fleet of self-driving vehicles, and the subsequent removal of co-founders.
Despite incidents like these and increasing calls for regulation, states are still revealing their red carpets for the automotive industry. This month, Waymo's autonomous vehicles capable of hitting speeds of 70 mph will resume testing on Arizona highways. Authorities haven't been too hasty with issuing traffic citations for self-driving cars, choosing instead to eagerly welcome the next wave of automotive innovation.
- Apple, fighting technological challenges and reevaluating its priorities, has shifted its focus from implementing a completely driverless electric vehicle (EV) by 2025, as initially envisioned for Project Titan, to incorporating self-driving features in the final product.
- The timeline for the Apple Car, codenamed Project Titan, has been pushed back to 2028 due to several setbacks, including the departure of key project managers, failed negotiations with automakers, and allegations of stolen autonomous driving technology.
- Amidst the challenges facing tech giants like Apple in the development of driverless cars, incidents such as a robo-taxi company's driverless vehicle striking a pedestrian have raised questions about the safety and readiness of such technology for mainstream adoption.
- In the midst of increasing calls for regulation and scrutiny on the autonomous vehicle industry, states continue to express enthusiasm for the future of self-driving cars, with Waymo's autonomous vehicles set to resume testing at 70 mph on Arizona highways this month.
