Apple decided to scrap its electric car project earlier this week, putting an end to nearly a decade of research and development. Much has been spent on this ambitious venture, and a New York Times report pinpointed the exact amount at $10 billion. It’s a staggering sum, especially considering the many workers who doubted the project’s success from the start.
Internally, the initiative was known as “Project Titan,” though some employees, skeptical of its success, nicknamed it “the Titanic disaster.” Despite Apple’s secrecy regarding the endeavor, numerous leaks and job postings over the years provided insight into what was happening behind the scenes. The project seemed to suffer from frequent staff changes and disagreements about the ultimate vision for the so-called “Apple Car.”
The New York Times report highlighted differing opinions at the helm: Steve Zadesky, who initially led the project, aimed to create an electric vehicle that could rival Tesla. On the other hand, former Apple design lead Jony Ive envisioned a self-driving car with more advanced autonomous features. Over time, Apple seemed to shift its focus away from a fully autonomous vehicle, eventually aiming to produce an electric car with various driver-assist features.
The team working on Project Titan expanded to over 2,000 people, including expert engineers who had previously worked at NASA and Porsche. However, the Times described the project as troubled, lacking clear leadership and direction. It faced many challenges, one of the biggest being how to actually manufacture the vehicle.
Despite the project’s cancellation, there are some positives. Former team members mentioned that Apple plans to apply what it has learned about autonomous and AI technologies to its current and future devices. However, whether these benefits will justify the $10 billion expenditure remains to be seen.