Apple, amidst a decade-old effort to build a car, has pivoted to a less ambitious design – featuring Level 2+ autonomy – with the intent of finally bringing the vehicle to market in 2028.
Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:
After previously envisioning a truly driverless car, the company is now working on an EV with more limited features, according to people with knowledge of the project.
Even so, Apple’s goal for a release date continues to slip. With the latest changes, the company looks to introduce the car in 2028 at the earliest, roughly two years after a recent projection, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the deliberations are private.
As of the end of 2022, the Cupertino, California-based company aimed to release a car by 2026 with advanced self-driving features for highways.
Now, after finding it wouldn’t be able to complete such a vehicle in the foreseeable future, Apple is developing more basic driver-assistance features in line with current Tesla Inc. capabilities, according to the people with knowledge of the plans. The car will use what is known as a Level 2+ system, the people said. That’s a downgrade from previously planned Level 4 technology — and, before that, even more ambitious aims for a Level 5 system…
Apple once envisioned creating a car without a steering wheel and pedals, but that idea is off the table for now.
MacDailyNews Take: Level 2+ plan would require drivers to pay attention to the road and take over at any time — similar to the so-called “Autopilot” feature on Tesla vehicles.
As per a vehicle without a steering wheel or pedals today, in 2028, or in 2038:
Seems like a difficult sell unless somehow proven in actual real-life practice, by real customers on real roads, to be extremely safe and reliable. We can see the Doonesbury strip already.
If Apple ever gets around to releasing the first iteration of their vehicle with “no steering wheel or brake pedal,” they should name that model “Boondoggle.” – MacDailyNews, July 11, 2022
Tons more abut Apple’s previous efforts and future plans in the full article here.
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EVs will be gone, by the time Apple gets around to it. Good job, Timmy.
Maybe you should spend less time as a social warrior and more time at Apple
Sammy,
are you the same guy who said computers would never catch on because no one would give up their trusty abacus and typewriters?
Stop being stupid, just stop.
https://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/ev-battery-range-cold-weather-charging-rcna134355
a new technology has a few challenges?!
heavens!
I understand Ford had a recall.
Time to go back to horses.
Looks like stopping stupidity is not an option for old bill
New B. might have a hard time thinking beyond the current pop-tech? Maybe batteries aren’t to be the power-plant…especially while coal/nat gas power plants are the primary for the charge and many places have winter?
And EVs catch fire spontaneously too!
I guess then Toyota’s decision to maintain a good hybrid lineup was the right call instead of going all electric as some other manufacturers have done.
EVs, Unsafe at any Speed!🔥🔥🔥
There will never ever be a Apple car, when will this foolishness end
Has Tim Cock bothered to figure out whether people want EV’s? The market says they don’t. EV’s suck, on a number of levels. But more important, has Apple done any market research to see whether people want a car without driver controls? A car driven by a computer is a car the government can control, and that is exactly where we are headed.
I own an EV and it’s fantastic! Reminds me of the original iPhone. Game changing but still needs lots of improvements. It will get much better in the future. AND THEY DON’T RELEASE POISONOUS GAS LIKE ICE CARS!
No, they don’t, but the power plant that create electic for the cars sure create lots of poisonous gas.
Ever think of that? Ever think?
Studies show the cost to create and run and EV does more damage to the environment that gas cars.
Not to mention how terrible mining for lithium is for the environment; not to mentioned not enough exists for the demand. How about battery disposal? Terrible for the environment. EVs are yet another way governments are making things MUCH more expensive for the average person and making the wealthy richer. It is not saving the environment; rather, just pushing the problem to a different area.
I have realized I am a Steve Jobs and a Steve Jobs’ Apple fan. That was when the company was truly innovating and building great products. Steve and the company focused on building products, rather than politics and social causes. Tim Cook’s Apple is nothing but a woke machine trying to drive corporate profits.
Which studies? Citations please.. or don’t bother making shallow claims
Steve is like many that put their head out of the window for some fresh air when there’s a fire indoors and says, “all is good.”
The fact that China controls A LOT of the critical materials & components that are EV critical is hardly a factor, right? “We’re trading partners, after all. Yeah, friends really.”
How many of the working class do you know that own a Tesla? It’s a vehicle for the middle/upper class–I have no animus towards either–but it displays the limited market applicability. Take away the subsidies and tax breaks and the market shrinks more.
Again, you need to support your claims with evidence. Just to say ‘it’s been proven’ is vacuous.
I’m glad you like your EV. But, to claim it’s somehow better for the environment is false although I realize claiming so makes you feel good. The minerals for the batteries alone are a nightmare, let alone the fossil fuels used to power the electricity for EVs. Solar charging at home – what about those solar panels when they expire?
I agree that lots of improvement is needed. But forcing EVs down consumers throats when the game changing technology is far from flushed out is silly.