Apple reportedly pulls plug on autonomous vehicles

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An Apple autonomous vehicle being tested in Santa Clara in 2019. | Credit: Associated Press

Driving my Tesla is more like driving an iPad around than it is like driving a car. The iPad-size screen, which doubles as a dashboard, may actually be bigger than my iPad Pro. You interact with the pseudo-Apple screen for every function in the Tesla, save a few like steering and braking. But while Tesla copies the iPad, it fails to get everything right like the iPad and after many frustrated attempts at finding or controlling vehicle function, I often wonder when is Apple finally going to come out with its iCar?

I got an answer most unwelcome this afternoon: Never. According to Bloomberg, Apple announced in an internal meeting that the not-so-secret Titan Project (AKA Project 172, according to The New York Times) will be abandoned. Apple will be moving people to other jobs, and many will start to work on the company’s AI projects.

“iCar” is only a wish, not the official name as far as we know. Apple has never disclosed the name, or ever publicly discussed its plans for an electric autonomous vehicle. The iCar may have been the ultra-secretive company’s worst kept secret. Patents for AV technology were found early on, fueling (pun intended) much anticipation. Seeing the prototypes on public roads was to remove all doubt of the iCar’s existence, though not its name. Apple even significantly ramped up its AV testing in 2023.

What may have been a cruel blow to Apple fans is also no endorsement for CEO Tim Cook, who took over after Steve Jobs died. It was a hard act for anyone to follow. Jobs had introduced the next big thing several times. Cook may be remembered for the next little thing: the Apple Watch. To his credit, the Apple Watch displaced quartz watches and introduced watches to a generation unaccustomed to them, but it sells for a less than half the price of iPhone and a fraction of the price of MacBooks. The Vision Pro, a VR headset, while Apple’s most expensive product ($3499) was only recently made available and it remains to be seen how well it will sell. In both cases, inventions during Cook’s tenure have not made as dramatic gains to the top line as have MacBooks and, most importantly, iPhones.

The iCar could have made Apple the most valuable automotive company, surpassing Tesla, and secured Cook’s place in an innovator hall of fame, if there is to be one. We hear exhalations of relief from those who had no faith in Apple making vehicles, saying “making cars is hard.” We hear Elon Musk, for whom hard never meant impossible, laughing. Maybe Apple thought the iCar would be too much of a risk. AV companies are being held liable for AV accidents. Phones and computers don’t run that risk.

Apple may have thought the development too slow or too expensive. It is said to have spent billions of dollars on the project, but what is that to a company that has over $70 billion in cash? It’s possible that those infatuated with AI, the most closely watched race, grew impatient at Apple not having a horse in it. This is the most plausible theory. Cook earlier this year promised investors an AI announcement. And the head of Project Titan now reports to Apple’s head of AI, as do several members of the now defunct iCar team.

Or, perhaps the voices saying “Apple is not a car company” grew too loud and responses of “Apple was not a phone company, either” were not heard. In that case, Apple may have cancelled innovation, at least in a way that changes how we all live.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on sister website Engineering.com.