Apple has reportedly canceled its autonomous electric car project and is set to lay off hundreds of employees from the division, according to a report by TechCrunch. The company is shifting some employees to its Generative AI projects, after initially starting work on “Project Titan” in 2014.
The project had around 1,400 employees, and in 2021, Apple hired Ulrich Kranz, a former BMW executive. The launch of the electric vehicle, known as the ‘Apple Car’, has been delayed until 2026, with a targeted price of under $100,000.
Initially, Apple envisioned a self-driving vehicle without a steering wheel or pedals, allowing passengers to face each other. However, the project was later scaled back to have a more traditional design with a driver’s seat and pedals, as per earlier reports.
The decision marks a shift in Apple’s focus away from the autonomous car project towards other initiatives like Generative AI. The move comes at a time when companies in the tech industry are increasingly investing in electric and autonomous vehicles to capture a growing market.
