Apple Car launch pushed years with new design revamp unveiled
- The design of the Apple Car EV has been simplified
- Its driving autonomy level has been significantly dialled back to help bring it to production
- Its launch date has also been moved back for wiggle room
Published on Jan 24, 2024 at 5:21 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Jan 25, 2024 at 1:25 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Alessandro Renesis
The design of the Apple Car EV has been simplified and the potential launch date pushed back.
Per reports by Bloomberg, after board meetings, the car has been downgraded to Level 2+ autonomy.
That’s a downgrade, as it was previously planned to be a truly-driverless Level 4 according to someone close to the project.
READ MORE! Artificial Intelligence can now help you park your BMW without you being in it
The source asked not to be identified because the deliberations are private.
Meanwhile, Apple has formally declined to comment on the plans.
Level 2 autonomy means that, while the car can steer and accelerate, the driver has to monitor everything and be ready to take over at any time.
Level 4 allows the vehicle to perform all driving under certain circumstances, with human override still required.
Before that, Apple had even more ambitious aims for the Apple Car, codename Titan and T172, to be a Level 5 system.
This allows all driving to be carried out by the vehicle unmonitored without human attention or interaction – meaning they can watch a film of even sleep.
It’s hoped this less ambitious design will help the tech giant finally bring the EV to market.
The news on the Apple Car also states that the 2026 projected launch date will be pushed back to 2028.
It’s said that internally these shifts are being hailed as a pivotal moment for the project.
The car has been one of the company’s most expensive research and development projects for almost 10 years.
While years have been spent developing patents for powertrains, self-driving hardware and software, car interiors and exteriors, and other key components – the Apple Car has failed to reach the formal prototype stage.
It’s up for debate whether the Apple Car will be created with the reduced expectations or be scrapped entirely.
It’s hoped that, after an initial launch, the Level 2 system can be upgraded to Level 4.
While nowhere near the road yet, the secretive Apple car has seen several rounds of layoffs, boss turnover, delays and strategy changes.
The company famously tries to keep everything in-house, but this being its first car, a collaboration with an automaker is expected.
Apple will team up with a third-party to get the battery pack and the ‘engine’, but the software will be engineered in-house.
Hyundai, BMW, Daimler and Kia have all been linked to the project.
Its hoped the new category for the smartphone maker could reinvigorate sales growth.
Sales of the iPhone stalled in 2023 as the smartphone market reached maturity.
DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie
All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
