Over the past year or so, reports and rumours were going around that Apple has expressed interest in developing its own self-driving car. At one point, news reports linked Apple to British supercar manufacturer McLaren. However, a report by Bloomberg today reveals that Apple is drastically scaling back its automotive ambitions, dropping the idea of building its own car to focus on the autonomous driving system instead.
According to Bloomberg’s report, Apple’s autonomous driving system initiative is known internally as Project Titan. By refocusing on developing an autonomous driving system, Apple would gain the flexibility to either artner with existing carmakers, or even return to designing its own vehicle. Apple executives have given the team responsible for Project Titan a deadline of late next year to prove the feasibility of the self-driving system and decide on a final direction.
This change in focus did not come without cost of course. Hundreds out of the original 1,000-man strong team have been reassigned, let go, or has left Apple on their own volition. Let’s just hope that Apple’s attempt at the autonomous driving technology would be successful this time around.
Source: Bloomberg