Apple delays its self-driving car launch to 2028

Apple has apparently dialed down its dreams of making a car, at least for the time being. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the company’s ten-year-old car project has shifted gears, moving away from the idea of a completely self-driving car to focusing more on an electric vehicle (EV) similar to Tesla’s. The much-talked-about “Apple Car” is now expected to hit the roads no earlier than 2028, which is two years later than Apple’s last reported target date.

The supposed autonomous capabilities of the car have taken a step down, going from a Level 5 system (full automation) to a Level 4 system (full automation in specific situations), and now settling at a Level 2+ (partial automation). This suggests it’ll have some self-driving perks like lane centering and support for braking/accelerating but will still demand the driver’s full attention.

Tesla’s Autopilot falls under Level 2. While Level 2+ isn’t an official category, people often use it informally to describe a more advanced form of Level 2. What Apple initially pictured as a car sans steering wheel or pedals — and possibly with a remote command center ready to take control for the driver — now seems more aligned with Tesla’s approach to entering the market.

According to Bloomberg, Apple sees the project’s downsizing as a “make or break” moment internally. Those in the know about Apple’s plans reportedly think that if they can pull off the scaled-back Apple Car successfully, it might save the entire project. On the flip side, if things don’t go well, top executives might seriously reconsider whether the project should even exist, as Gurman mentioned.

Word has it that Apple has been chatting with potential manufacturing buddies in Europe about their revamped plan. Bloomberg mentions that the company still has its sights set on rolling out a Level 4 autonomous system down the line, even though its initial launch is aiming for something more down-to-earth.

According to Bloomberg, the discussions that led to Apple’s decision were pretty hectic, with CEO Tim Cook, the Apple board, and project head Kevin Lynch all in the mix. Lynch stepped in after the previous head, Doug Field, left in 2021. (Field, a former Tesla engineering head, is now in charge of Ford’s EV division.) Throughout 2023, the board reportedly kept pushing the leadership team about the car plan.