Over the past decade, Apple employees working on the secretive car project, known internally as Titan, jokingly referred to it as the Titanic disaster, anticipating its failure. The project was scrapped and restarted multiple times, leading to the loss of hundreds of employees. Initially envisioned as an electric vehicle to rival Tesla, it eventually transformed into a self-driving car to compete with Google’s Waymo.
Following the announcement of its termination, it was revealed that Apple had spent over $10 billion on the project. Despite multiple leadership changes and rounds of layoffs, the project ultimately failed due to the challenges of developing software and algorithms for an autonomous vehicle.
While initially hoped to be a groundbreaking endeavor, the project faced many obstacles, leading to its demise. Apple’s struggle to innovate new products post-Steve Jobs’s era was evident through the turbulent journey of the car project.
Launched in 2014 to keep up with the self-driving car trend, the project faced internal pressure to maintain engineering talent and expand business opportunities. Discussions with Elon Musk about acquiring Tesla took place, but Apple ultimately decided to pursue its own car development.
The project faced conflicting visions, with leaders pushing for different directions. The team expanded rapidly, hiring experts in machine learning and other technologies essential for self-driving cars. Despite creating innovative technologies, such as a smart windshield and special sunroof, the project faced multiple setbacks.
As leadership changed and the focus shifted from building a car to developing self-driving software, the project faced more challenges. The decision to transition to artificial intelligence projects ultimately led to the project’s closure. Although deemed a failure, Apple plans to utilize the technology and expertise gained from the car project for future innovations in areas such as A.I.-powered AirPods, robot assistants, and augmented reality.
