Apple has scaled back its expectations for its driverless electric vehicle and is now focusing on providing steering and brake/acceleration support, lane centering, and adaptive cruise control. The company expects it to take around four years to develop the new car and is adopting a more conservative approach.
In recent years, there have been updates on the progress of the Apple Car and its attempts to move the project forward. Apple had plans to collaborate with TSMC on chips for self-driving but had overly ambitious goals. Eventually, the project lost momentum, and high-profile personnel, such as Dr. Michael Schwekutsch, the Senior Director of Engineering who had previous experience at Tesla, left Apple to join air taxi startup Archer Aviation.
Apple has not provided any direct comments on its plans for a vehicle. However, analysts note that the company finding a more realistic launch date and adjusting its expectations is a crucial moment for the project. The Apple Car project was initially launched in 2015 but has faced challenges and stagnation. The pressure from the Board of Directors pushed CEO Tim Cook to either deliver a concrete plan or consider abandoning the project.
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