A Wall Street Journal report today claims Apple and its “Project Titan” team are working toward a target date of 2019 for the launch of their electric vehicle. The car will not be self-driving.
The publication, citing people familiar with the project, says a self-driving vehicle is still a long-term target for Apple, but the first-generation model will still require a driver behind the wheel.
Apple is reportedly working on the secret project at the “SG5” facility in Sunnyvale, California, the company is reported to be working under a shell corporation by the name of “SixtyEight Research.” The project team is reportedly 600 strong, but the heads of the project have been given the go-ahead to triple the size of the team to 1,800 personnel.
The report also cited sources that say the 2019 target date may not be feasible. AppleInsider reports its own sources say Apple may be forced to partner with an established automaker if it hopes to bring a vehicle to market. Apple has reportedly been luring employees from electric car maker Tesla at such a high rate, that it has affected Tesla’s own product development.
Rumors have continued to persist that Apple is working on a self-driving electric vehicle, making automobiles the next industry the iPhone maker will be working to disrupt. Other companies said to be developing self-driving vehicles include Google, Tesla, and Uber.
