In February this 12 months, we discovered that after greater than a decade of labor, Challenge Titan – the Apple Car effort was officially canceled. Naturally, particulars have been sparse across the matter because it was a secret challenge. However right now an attention-grabbing element has surfaced about how Apple is dismantling the challenge.
There have been reportedly greater than 2,000 staff engaged on Apple Automobile earlier than executives determined early this 12 months that it was time to drag the plug.
Then noticed by my colleague Filipe in April, Apple executed a round of layoffs that confirmed Apple Automobile group members shedding their jobs or being reassigned.
Outdoors of studies based mostly on intel from inside sources, not a lot was recognized about Challenge Titan which noticed many challenges.
Apple’s public autonomous automobile testing
Nevertheless, the one outward-facing signal of the Apple Automobile program was the corporate’s autonomous automobiles and testers in California which needed to be publicly registered and examined in public.
At totally different instances over the past decade, Apple had as many as 200+ staff registered to drive its autonomous take a look at automobiles.
And as of January 2024, Apple had a fleet of 68 autonomous test vehicles with 162 drivers.
What does dismantling the Apple Automobile seem like?
Whereas Apple has already laid off most of its Apple Automobile employees and naturally finished issues like shutting down work areas, destroying proprietary R&D property, and so on., an attention-grabbing element has surfaced about its autonomous driving group and fleet.
Shared by macReports this morning, Apple made a change to its California DMV allow – however not what you may count on.
As a substitute of shutting it down and canceling its allow and registered drivers – Apple has saved 15 staff (decreased from 172) who can drive the autonomous automobiles and saved the entire fleet of 68 registered to function in California.
That allow is legitimate till April 30, 2025, that means it could take one other 12 months for Apple to completely shut down the challenge.
What’s happening with the Apple autonomous automobiles?
It’s unclear why Apple is protecting its full fleet registered to function together with over a dozen staff to drive the automobiles, however listed here are some prospects:
- Possibly Apple is trying to promote among the mental property it developed and desires to have the ability to showcase the automobile tech in actual demos on the street to potential consumers
- Possibly Apple needs extra time to archive work from Challenge Titan to save lots of for the longer term
- Possibly Apple wants extra time to close down the autonomous automobile group and the remaining 15 staff are a part of dealing with it
What do you suppose? Share your ideas within the feedback!
Prime picture of next-gen CarPlay by way of Apple
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