Apple has long been rumored to be planning an electric vehicle, but the team working on the project has reportedly faced many struggles over the years, including development challenges and the loss of some key employees.
One of the latest departures is CJ Moore, who has left Apple to join autonomous vehicle technology company Luminar. In a press release shared by Bloomberg, Luminar said Moore will lead the company's global software development team. Moore had served as a director of autonomous systems at Apple since August, after working on autopilot software at Tesla for nearly seven years, according to his LinkedIn profile.
The so-called "Apple Car" team has seen several departures and hires as turnover continues. Apple's director of machine learning Ian Goodfellow recently moved to Google, for example, while longtime Ford engineer Desi Ujkashevic joined Apple.
In late 2021, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple was aiming to develop an electric vehicle with full self-driving functionality that does not require human intervention, with the project being led by Apple executive Kevin Lynch. Gurman said Apple's ideal car would have no steering wheel and pedals for a hands-off driving experience. Apple's vehicle is expected to launch around 2025 at the earliest.
