According to sources, after ten years, the Apple Car project has returned to reality. Not only will the autonomous driving level of the vehicle be lowered from L4 to L2+, but the release date may be pushed back by another two years to 2028.
conceptual design
According to these sources, Apple previously envisioned a truly driverless car, with the highest level of autonomous driving at Level 5, which was later lowered to Level 4. After finding that such a car could not be completed, Apple turned to more basic driver assistance features and downgraded the level of autonomous driving to Level 2+ again.
Apple's secret car-building journey is one of the company's biggest and most tumultuous projects ever. Since it began taking shape in 2014, the project, codenamed Titan and T172, has changed owners several times, and has undergone multiple rounds of layoffs, key strategic adjustments, and multiple delays.
But it's still one of the company's potential next big projects, helping to revive Apple's sales. In 2023, Apple's revenue stagnated due to the maturing smartphone industry and slowing growth in China, the company's largest overseas market.
And the new product category of autonomous driving may bring a new impetus to Apple's sales growth. How do you create this highly-anticipated new product?
According to insiders, Apple is developing more basic assisted driving features, similar to Tesla's current technology.
The decision came after a series of meetings between Apple's board of directors and project leader Kevin Lynch and CEO Tim Cook, the sources noted. Company insiders have seen the strategic realignment as a key turning point in Apple's electric vehicle program. They believe that if Apple is unable to successfully launch an electric vehicle with these features, the company's top management may reassess the future of the project.
While Apple had ambitions to create a fully self-driving car, the current focus has shifted to electric vehicles with more limited capabilities. Realizing that its goal of developing fully autonomous vehicles would be difficult to achieve in the foreseeable future, Apple decided to focus on developing less automated driver assistance systems to meet standards similar to Tesla's existing technology.
According to people familiar with the matter, the original design goal of the Apple car was to be able to drive without intervention on highways in legal areas of North America and to operate in most driving conditions. However, according to the latest plan, the Apple car will use L2+ technology, instead of the previously scheduled L4 level, or the L5 class as previously envisaged.
This news will undoubtedly have an impact on consumers and investors who are looking forward to the Apple car. Still, Apple's adjustment also reflects the company's cautious approach to market realities and a rational assessment of the technological challenges. As the target date of 2028 draws closer, the industry is full of expectations for Apple's breakthrough in the field of electric vehicles.