The Wait For Apple's Long-Rumored Electric Car May Have Just Gotten Longer

Apple's highly-anticipated self-driving car project has hit yet another delay, and this time, the company is reportedly moving ahead with some compromises.

According to Bloomberg, Apple was initially targeting a Level 4 autonomous driving system for its electric car, and had set internal targets for a 2026 launch. Now, the company has pared down those expectations to a Level 2+ tech that falls more in line with what Tesla offers. Moreover, the tentative deadline for the car's debut has also been supposedly moved to 2028.

Apparently, members of Apple's team are seeing it more as a "me-too product," with Tesla cars serving as the development template. That's a critical downgrade, but not surprising given the current regulatory state of driver assistance tech and automation systems. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, which cites guidelines offered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Level 4 vehicle automation means a "car can drive itself without a human driver." 

SAE International also defines Level 4 as the point where a car doesn't require a person to take over driving. Notably, Apple was targeting Level 5 autonomy at one point, too. However, supply chain complexities and a string of departures at the summit of the "Project Titan" development derailed the progress of the secretive project. 

In the meanwhile, rivals in the consumer electronics industry such as Xiaomi, Sony, Meizu, and Geely have showcased their respective electric cars ahead of the impending market release starting in 2024.

Despite years worth of research and partner consultations, the "Apple Car" has never reached a prototype stage. However, the executives at Apple are reportedly hoping that the change in strategy would help Apple inch closer to a prototype stage and see a more realistic window for commercial launch. 

Aside from using Tesla as an inspiration for its watered-down autonomous driving features, Apple reportedly plans to stand out by serving a unique car design, user interface, and safety features. In doing so, ambitious ideas such as a no-steering-wheel design have been laid to rest.

The change in Apple's approach comes courtesy of pressure from Apple's board in 2023, but it isn't clear whether they pushed Apple to speed up development at the cost of advanced and resource-intensive features. Right now, brands like Tesla consider advanced driving systems such as the controversial Full Self-Driving (FSD) as the holy grail of cars. Apple's vision didn't stray too far, it seems, but plans for Level 4 autonomy have been shelved for now.

"The more basic Level 2+ plan would require drivers to pay attention to the road and take over at any time," says the report about Apple's current target. But down the road, Apple hopes to upgrade the tech stack and achieve its Level 4 goals. At the moment, even EV manufacturers like Tesla haven't managed to officially crack the Level 4 autonomy code, especially in the light of flaws plaguing the current-gen systems.