Although Apple has never officially acknowledged the production of cars, the failure of the Titan project has still caused a sensation in the technology and automotive circles.
Recently, globally renowned technology journalist Mark Gurman quoted insiders on social media as saying that Apple's Chief Operating Officer (COO) Jeff Williams and Vice President of Automotive Projects Kevin Lynch jointly made a decision to inform employees that the automotive project will gradually come to an end, and most of the employees in the Special Project Group (SPG) team will be transferred to Apple's AI department, focusing on generative AI projects.
The latest report from The New York Times, through interviews with multiple individuals involved in Apple's automotive project over the past decade, traced the turmoil and swing of the Titan project from within Apple.
In an interview with The New York Times, people involved in the car project praised the decision to cancel the project. They believe that the technology behind generative AI may be extremely valuable for the future of the company's most important iPhone business.
Although the Apple car project has been cut off, it will continue with its basic technology. According to a report by The New York Times, three insiders informed of the project stated that Apple plans to apply their knowledge of artificial intelligence and automation to other technologies under research, including AI based AirPods equipped with cameras, robot assistants, and augmented reality.
It is reported that Apple's automotive project has had four changes in leadership and several rounds of layoffs. Since the birth of the automotive project, the management has been wavering in its development direction, and the back and forth switching of routes has also caused waste of manpower and funds, which has become one of the important reasons for the failure of Apple's car making project.
According to six people involved in Apple's automotive development over the past decade, when the project was terminated, Apple had already burned over $10 billion on it.
Insiders say that from the beginning, this project was plagued by differences in development direction among the leadership. At first, it was positioned as an electric vehicle that could compete with Tesla. Later, it became an autonomous vehicle that could compete with Google Waymo. Later, it reversed its plan to return to the original starting point, that is, an electric vehicle equipped with auxiliary driving functions comparable to Tesla.
Steve Zadesky, who was originally responsible for the automotive project, wanted to create an electric car that could compete with Tesla. Jony Ive, then Apple's chief design officer, wanted to develop a autonomous vehicle, and members of Apple's software team said that it could be done.
In order to boost employee morale and strengthen guidance, well-known Apple executives such as Avi and Mac Engineering Director Bob Mansfield were involved. Apple has integrated several acquired startups into its automotive team.
Avi and his design team designed a concept car similar to a European small truck, such as Fiat's Multipla 600. This compact truck has six windows and a curved roof. The concept car designed by Avi does not have a steering wheel and will be controlled through Apple's virtual assistant Siri.
But by 2016, it was clear that the automotive project had encountered problems. Zadesky resigned from Apple. Three people familiar with the transformation said that his successor Mansfield told project members that they would change the center from building cars to building autonomous vehicle software.
Apple has obtained permission from California to begin testing Lexus sport SUVs equipped with sensors and computers. Apple began negotiations with car manufacturers such as BMW, Nissan, and Mercedes Benz, and eventually reached an agreement with Volkswagen to use the Transporter van provided by the latter as an autonomous commuting vehicle in the Apple campus.
In the following days, two new leaders were appointed for the automotive project. Doug Field, a former Tesla executive, cut more than 200 employees in his efforts to build Apple's own auto drive system. Then there was Lynch, who turned the company's plan back to the beginning, benchmarking against Tesla's electric vehicles.
According to two insiders, Apple and Tesla CEO Musk have discussed the acquisition of Tesla. Musk previously stated that he had attempted to sell Tesla to Apple, but Apple CEO Cook refused to speak to him. However, Apple ultimately decided that building its own car would be more meaningful than acquiring and integrating another business.
It is worth noting that during the decade when Apple's development has been fluctuating back and forth, Tesla has grown into the world's most influential star electric vehicle enterprise. Whether in terms of technology or sales, it is very difficult for Apple to catch up.
Obviously, abandoning the automotive project and focusing on building AI capabilities has become Apple's best choice.
Cook also stated at Apple's annual shareholder meeting online that the company has seen "incredible breakthrough potential in generative artificial intelligence, which is why we are currently investing heavily in this field.". "We believe that it will bring transformative opportunities for our users in terms of productivity, problem-solving, and more," Cook said.
Apple has not yet released products such as OpenAI's GPT or Google's Gemini, but Cook stated that Apple has made significant announcements in the field of AI this year.
Industry experts believe that Apple may not be able to resume its car manufacturing projects in the short term, but as a technology company, Apple still has the potential to find its place in the automotive chain as a software and specialized parts supplier, just like Huawei.