Apple recently announced that it is no longer working on building its own electric car. The company had a secret team of almost 2,000 people trying to create an Apple car. But after many years of effort, Apple has decided not to make cars anymore. Instead, it will now focus more on developing artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
Apple Car Project Hits a Dead End
Work first began almost five years ago on Project Titan, which was Apple’s code name for the electric car project. Several top executives were hired from other car companies to lead the project. Apple thought its famous design skills could shake up the auto industry.
However, Project Titan has struggled with many issues over the years. There were disagreements about how to build the car, and senior leaders kept leaving. Apple also realized how hard and expensive it is to manufacture cars compared to iPhones and Macbooks. With little sign of progress, Apple finally had to admit defeat and stop chasing the car dream.
Spotlight Shifts to Artificial Intelligence
While Apple is closing its car labs, it believes AI is the future. Many engineers who worked on the car project will now focus on advanced AI and machine learning. Apple recently hired John Giannandrea, a well-known AI expert, to lead its AI strategy. The hope is that innovative AI technology can set Apple apart and fuel its growth for the next decade.
The company sees huge potential for AI in self-driving cars, smart assistants like Siri, health monitoring, finance, and almost every other product. So, while we won’t ever see an iconic Apple car, expect Apple to roll out cool new AI features in the iPhone, iPad, and Mac in the coming years. The car may have stalled, but Apple’s innovation engine keeps humming.