Apple Park viewed from Apple Maps
A detailed report on Apple’s decade of Apple Car development reveals five ditched concepts, hubris, and executive failings.
Analysts will no doubt examine Apple’s worst-kept secret, Project Titan, for years. With every new report, tidbits emerge that were forgotten with time or never shared outside of closed doors.
The most interesting takeaway from this winding history is Apple’s various design targets. Prototypes included Jony Ive’s so-called “Bread Loaf” with club seating, Kevin Lynch’s “I-Beam” which lacked a windshield, and the uninspired final prototype that could have passed for a Tesla.
The Bread Loaf would have had Level 5 autonomy. It lacked a steering wheel and had a video game control pad in case the rider needed to take control. It was basically a minivan with a glass roof, whitewall tires, and sliding doors.
Executives at the top would veto any requests from employees who wanted to scale back the project. An unnamed Apple executive is quoted as saying, “you could have done this 10 years ago” after a recent version included pedals and a steering wheel.
