Project Titan: Tesla Talent Joins Car Project

It’s one of the worst-kept secrets in Apple history.

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MORE GAS FOR THE APPLE CAR

It’s one of the worst-kept secrets in Apple history. Despite Tim Cook and co sweeping talk of a self-driving vehicle under the rug, reports suggest that Apple has been working for years on technology to power the next evolution of travel: the Apple Car.

Several reports have suggested that Apple’s car project had been shelved, with the firm instead choosing to work on improving Apple Maps and creating software to sell to other manufacturers, but new developments confirm that the company is still in the self-drive car race, bringing Tesla’s chief vehicle engineer into the mix to work on research and testing.

Today, we’re pulling back the curtain on the Apple Car, exploring Apple’s hidden testing sites, weighing up the acquisition of Didi Chuxing, and looking at the future of autonomous vehicles.

APPLE CONTINUES TALENT EXPANSION

Although Apple is yet to confirm plans to launch a self-driving car, rumors have been circulating for several years. Back in 2015, it was reported that the company had created a team of around 200 employees to work on the Apple Car, with a long-term goal to create a 1,000-employee unit. The company has been recruiting top talent from the automotive industry and those who work in car-related fields, in order to build the most advanced development team.

Apple has poached several top executives from Tesla, including former mechanical engineering manager David Nelson, former Tesla head recruiter Lauren Ciminera and former Vice President Chris Porritt, who will likely have joined the company to play a major role in the research and development of the new Apple Car.