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.
