Apple’s Rumored Electric Car Launch Gets Stalled, May Not Be Fully Self-Driving

In August this year, it was revealed that Apple was moving ahead with plans for a rumored electric vehicle (EV), hiring Lamborghini veteran Luigi Taraborrelli to head its design team. 

Now, however, it seems the technology giant’s plans for its first-ever car may be less ambitious than hoped. According to Bloomberg, insider sources reported that the vehicle would no longer be developed as a fully self-driving machine. 

Turns out, the EV—currently codenamed ‘Project Titan’—could come with a conventional steering wheel and pedals, with the autonomous driving feature “only” working while the car is cruising on the highway. 

While Level 5 autonomy—in which a car can drive itself under any circumstance—is out of the picture, the tipsters posited that drivers will still be able to take a hands-off approach on the highway.

They’ll be asked to take over the controls on city streets or during bad weather. According to Engadget, this could be due to state regulations, as the authorities may not be too keen on unleashing completely autonomous cars on the public. 

In addition, the vehicle’s launch has likely been delayed by over a year to 2026. As per Apple Insider, the company is considering lowering the price from the initial US$120,000 mark to less than US$100,000. 

If you’ve got your eye on the forthcoming Apple Car, hang tight. 

[via Engadget and Apple Insider, cover image via Alexey Novikov | Dreamstime.com]