Apple Car Won't Be Ready for At Least Half a Decade

Rumors about Apple's work on an autonomous car have picked up in recent weeks, but the project is still in the early stages and it will be years before an Apple Car launches, according to a new report from Bloomberg.

Apple car wheel icon feature triad
Sources with knowledge of Apple's product plans told Bloomberg that it will take Apple "at least half a decade" to launch an autonomous electric vehicle.

Apple has a small team of hardware engineers that are working on drive systems, vehicle interiors, and external car designs with the goal of eventually shipping a vehicle to customers.

Apple's car plans have shifted multiple times over the years and just a couple of years ago, rumors indicated Apple had decided to forego development of a full car and was instead focusing on an autonomous driving system that could perhaps be provided to other car manufacturers.

As development has continued, Apple is once again focusing on the more ambitious goal of creating an entire vehicle. The car team is aiming to create a self-driving vehicle that would let a user input their destination and be driven there with "little or no other engagement."

The car is "nowhere near production stage" and it could be ready in five to seven years, though timelines could shift. Apple is also still pursuing a self-driving car system for a third-party partner, so the company could still opt to end development on its own car.

Apple Car employees are working from home at the current time or spending limited time at the office, which is apparently slowing work on the vehicle project. Apple has a wide range of car experts working on the project, as outlined by Bloomberg.

This includes former Tesla VP of interior design Steve MacManus, self-driving safety expert and former Waymo employee Jaime Waydo, and former Tesla VP Michael Schwekutsch, who worked on motors and transmissions. Apple recently picked up Jonathan Sive, a BMW vehicle engineer who also worked at Tesla and Waymo, and Stuart Bowers, another former Tesla vice president.

apple car team exectives
Vehicle-related job listings suggest Apple's hiring is ramping up, with the Cupertino company seeking employees with expertise in wireless communication, LED lighting, high-voltage battery systems, and more.

A recent report from Reuters suggested Apple is aiming to launch a car in 2024, but that timeline sounds ambitious based on the new information from Bloomberg. Reuters said that Apple is developing a new battery design that will reduce cost and increase range, and has also been working with automotive supply companies.

Another report indicated Apple is designing a custom chip for the Apple Car that TSMC will manufacture, and Bloomberg confirms that Johny Srouji's team is developing a custom Arm-based chip with a focus on machine learning processing to run the self-driving car system.

Apple is likely to use a manufacturing partner to build the vehicles, but it continues to be unclear what company might secure a deal with Apple. 2016 rumors indicated Apple was in talks with Magna International, but the talks ended as Apple's plans at the time were unclear.

Popular Stories

iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Will Include These New Features for Your iPhone

Wednesday February 5, 2025 7:15 am PST by
iOS 18.3 was released last month, so the first iOS 18.4 beta should be coming soon. iOS 18.4 is expected to be a more substantial update for the iPhone, with several new features and changes related to Apple Intelligence and beyond. Apple's website suggests that iOS 18.4 will be released in April, following beta testing. Below, we outline what to expect from the update so far. Apple...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive an All-New Perk

Thursday February 6, 2025 11:21 am PST by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. iCloud+ is the official name for Apple's paid iCloud storage plans, which range from 50GB for $0.99 per month to 12TB for $59.99 per month in the United States. iCloud+ plans already come with multiple perks for free, such as Hide My Email and HomeKit Secure Video, and now there is another one...
iPhone SE 4 Single Camera Thumb

iPhone SE 4 Launching as Soon as Next Week

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:30 pm PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone SE could debut as soon as next week with a launch to follow later in February, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple isn't expected to hold an event for the iPhone SE 4, and will instead unveil the device through a press release. The iPhone SE 4 is expected to have an iPhone 14-style design, with Apple eliminating the thick bezels and Touch ID Home button of...
iOS 18

iOS 18.3.1 Update Coming Soon for iPhones

Thursday February 6, 2025 7:31 am PST by
Apple is internally testing iOS 18.3.1 for iPhones, according to our website's analytics logs, which have been a consistently reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. The software update should be released within the next few weeks. iOS 18.3.1 should be a minor update that addresses software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. Apple Intelligence notification summaries for news and...
maxresdefault

An Apple TV Refresh is Coming in 2025 - Here's What You Should Know

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:17 am PST by
Apple hasn't refreshed the Apple TV since 2022, but rumors suggest that we're finally going to get an update in 2025. We don't have a full picture of what to expect yet, but we have some hints on what's coming. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Updated A-Series Chip The current Apple TV 4K uses the A15 Bionic chip that was in the iPhone 13 lineup, and it's time for...
iCloud General Feature Redux

Apple Ordered by UK to Create Global iCloud Encryption Backdoor

Friday February 7, 2025 2:37 am PST by
The British government has secretly demanded that Apple give it blanket access to all encrypted user content uploaded to the cloud, reports The Washington Post. The undisclosed order is said to have been issued last month, and requires that Apple creates a back door that allows UK security officials unencumbered access to encrypted user data worldwide – an unprecedented demand not before...
Apple Leak Feature

Apple Leaker Issues Apology: 'Profound and Expensive Mistake'

Friday February 7, 2025 9:21 am PST by
Last year, we reported that Apple sued its former software engineer Andrew Aude for providing journalists with confidential information about the company's future plans, including details about the Journal app, Vision Pro headset, and more. As reported by 9to5Mac, the Superior Court of Santa Clara County on Thursday dismissed the lawsuit after Apple and Aude reached an agreement to resolve...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

iPhone Driver's Licenses to Expand to These 7 U.S. States

Wednesday February 5, 2025 6:27 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Below, we outline which U.S. states and territories offer the feature, and additional states that have committed to rolling it out in...

Top Rated Comments

iamgalt Avatar
53 months ago

My guess is it will take more like five years.
That's half a decade, which is what the article title states.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tzm41 Avatar
53 months ago

Tesla is already ahead.

By that time, Tesla owns the market with full self driving software. Not even including the crazy new ideas Tesla is cooking up in the labs for the next 5 years.
I kinda doubt that full self driving will be ready in the next five years... based on my observations in the advancements in CV and AI.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bob122989 Avatar
53 months ago
How to count to 100 like a journalist:

A, both, several, five, half a dozen, more than half a dozen, nearly 10, nearly a dozen, a dozen, more than a dozen, nearly two dozen, a score, nearly two dozen (again), dozens, scores, 50, more than 50, more than 75, nearly a hundred, 100.

(Credit [MEDIA=twitter]1255677366296285185[/MEDIA] )
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iamgalt Avatar
53 months ago
Did anyone actually think it was going to come out this year, or next? Personally, I think 5 years is still pretty optimistic.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jbusick7944 Avatar
53 months ago
Apple Car will never exist.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MidwestMacGuy Avatar
53 months ago
My guess is it will take more like five years.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)