Apple abandons autonomous electric car project, hundreds of jobs lost

Apple executives delivered devastating news to their team on Tuesday, announcing the termination of the company's secretive project to develop an autonomous electric car.

The decision has resulted in the likely dismissal of hundreds of employees, with all work on the project abruptly halted.

Reports suggest that some remaining team members will be reassigned to Apple's generative AI projects, while others face the prospect of unemployment unless they secure reassignments within the company within 90 days.

The project, known internally as "Project Titan," had employed around 1,400 individuals, according to sources familiar with the matter.

This decision comes at a time when major automakers are reassessing their investments in electric vehicles, and amidst heightened scrutiny of autonomous vehicle projects.

Apple's foray into the automotive sector was viewed as a potential revenue booster to counterbalance slowing hardware sales and regulatory challenges to its services business.

Apple declined to provide any comments on the matter. The company had initiated "Project Titan" in 2014, with around 5,000 employees dedicated to the endeavour at one point.

However, the project faced numerous pivots over the years, oscillating between creating an all-electric Tesla competitor and a fully autonomous vehicle akin to Waymo's.

The announcement of the project's termination was made by Apple's chief operating officer, Jeff Williams, and the vice president in charge of Titan, Kevin Lynch, in a brief 12-minute meeting with the team.

Despite the abruptness of the announcement, sources indicate that the decision was not unforeseen, given the project's shifting priorities over time.

Over the years, several high-profile automotive executives had been involved in Project Titan, including former Tesla executive Doug Field and executives from Lamborghini and Ford. In 2021, Apple hired Ulrich Kranz, a former BMW executive, and engaged in discussions with various companies, including Canoo, Hyundai, and Kia, as it sought manufacturing partners, intellectual property, and talent for its automotive ambitions.