Apple Car is Expected to Launch By 2028 but With Reduced Autonomous Features

Apple reportedly moving back its automotive target but the Apple Car project is continuing with an estimated launch of no earlier than 2028.

However, there have been reports that Apple downgraded some of the project's autonomous features.

Apple Car Reduces Autonomy Before Launch

The Apple Car also known as the Project Titan has been a rumored initiative by the company since the mid-2010s. According to the report, it had worked on "powertrains, self-driving hardware and software, car interiors and exteriors, and other key components."

Previously, Apple targeted to launch the self-driving car by 2026. Based on the report, the car's autonomous features are now downgraded from a Level 5 system (full automation) to a Level 2+1 (partial automation).

This decreased autonomous features means that drivers will need to pay attention to the road and can take over any time, similar to the current Autopilot system of Tesla's EVs.

Apple Hopes to Upgrade System to Level 4

While the projected launch is still far, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple plans to release an upgraded system that will boost the car's autonomy to Level 4. There are also plans to expand the service to other regions once the upgraded system is successful.

So far, Apple has been secretive about the specific plans but it is considered to be one of the company's most expensive research and development projects within the decade.

It is estimated that the company has been spending hundreds of millions of dollars a year to shoulder the payroll, cloud-based systems for self-driving computers, closed road testing, vehicle engineering, and chip engineering.

For now, Apple is reportedly discussing other changes that will affect both the hardware and autonomous software engineering teams.