In a move that marks the official end of Apple’s long-rumored car project, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) recently canceled Apple’s self-driving vehicle testing permit.
The cancellation, which took effect on September 27, 2024, follows reports that Apple abandoned its plans to develop a full-fledged electric vehicle earlier this year. (via MacRumors)
The Apple Car project, internally codenamed “Project Titan,” began almost a decade ago in 2014. The project was Apple’s first step into the automotive industry, with speculation that the tech giant would develop a fully autonomous electric vehicle (EV) that would revolutionize transportation. Many believed the company’s history of innovation in personal electronics, like the iPhone, would translate seamlessly into the automotive world.
However, that was not the case. Over the years, Apple’s plans for Project Titan evolved. At various points, the company reportedly shifted its focus between developing a full EV to simply creating autonomous driving technology that could be integrated into other manufacturers’ cars.
All of this happened despite Apple never confirming the car project officially.
As time passed, rumours of setbacks plagued the project. Leadership changes, team reorganizations, and layoffs within the autonomous vehicle division were common, contributing to mounting skepticism about whether an Apple Car would ever become a reality.
One of the most tangible signs of Apple’s automotive ambitions came in 2017 when the company received a permit from the California DMV to test autonomous vehicles on public roads. Apple used leased Lexus SUVs outfitted with a variety of cameras, sensors, and other hardware to test its self-driving systems.
These vehicles, with safety drivers on board, were occasionally seen on the streets of California, offering a rare glimpse into Apple’s otherwise secretive efforts.
spotted an autonomous car near Apple campus pic.twitter.com/negKIcmhg0
— Alex (@alexfixthis) June 24, 2022
The testing permit was scheduled to remain valid until April 2025, but with Apple’s pivot away from building an electric car, the company formally requested its cancellation in September 2024. This move all but confirms Bloomberg’s earlier report that Apple had officially abandoned its car project, leading to the discontinuation of its autonomous vehicle testing efforts.
