Apple has reportedly scrapped its plans to develop electric vehicles (EV) after a decade of speculation about the project. The company never publicly confirmed the project, which involved around two thousand employees. Many of these employees will now be transferred to Apple’s artificial intelligence (AI) division, according to Bloomberg News.
The team working on the Apple car project was known as the Special Projects Group under CEO Tim Cook’s Project Titan. Initially, the company was rumored to be working on a fully autonomous vehicle without traditional controls like a steering wheel and pedals. However, the team was still years away from producing a vehicle.
Apple has been exploring new opportunities beyond its core products like the iPhone and computers, including the recently launched Vision Pro virtual reality headset. Demand for EVs has slowed in recent months due to high borrowing costs, making the market more competitive as major players vie for customers.
In related news, electric car maker Tesla recently warned of weaker sales growth this year compared to 2023. The company, led by Elon Musk, has been reducing prices in key markets like Europe and China to compete with rivals such as BYD. Musk responded to reports of Apple winding down its EV project with emojis of a salute and a cigarette on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
For more information on electric cars and Apple, you can explore the Related Topics section.