Apple Ends Project Titan After Decade of Autonomous EV Development
Apple has officially ended Project Gemini, its ambitious autonomous electric vehicle project, after nearly a decade of development. The decision comes amidst challenges in finding manufacturing partners and battery suppliers, as well as technical hurdles in achieving full autonomy. The project's discontinuation was announced by Apple's COO Jeff Williams and VP of Apple Watch Kevin Lynch to a team of 2,000 employees.
The project, codenamed Gemini, was initially rumored to be about developing an Apple-branded electric vehicle. However, details about its leadership are not widely documented, and the last known information does not specify the name of the last leader before its reported shift in focus. Apple's board had pressured CEO Tim Cook to expedite the project due to the billions invested.
Apple struggled to find partners willing to assist in the car's manufacture and faced challenges finding a battery manufacturer. The electric car's launch was postponed until 2028, and ambitions for a fully autonomous vehicle were scaled back due to technical difficulties. Many Project Gemini employees will be reassigned to John Giannandrea's generative AI team, where Apple anticipates making significant advancements this year. These advancements are expected to appear in iOS 18 and macOS next year. Apple is also developing silicon optimized for running generative AI models on device with zero latency and complete privacy.
The termination of Project Gemini is expected to result in significant layoffs, particularly among those recruited from automotive companies. Despite the setback, Apple remains committed to innovation and is focusing its efforts on generative AI, with promising developments on the horizon.
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