Apple Car Exclusive Details | What’s True and False About Apple’s Most-Leaked Project of the Decade

You’ve probably heard about the Apple Car at least once over the last five years – basically, every technology-related media outlet has reported on it. Be it a supposed leak about a partnership between Apple and Hyundai, Kia, etc., to mass-produce the Apple Car, something about the design, or even a statement from Elon Musk. Personally, I’m frustrated by how many articles are written about what is internally and now externally referred to as Project Titan. Not because I don’t like them, but because people are confused after being told things that journalists know are not true or confirmed in any way.

So here’s an overview of everything that has been said about the Apple Car, what I believe to be true, and what I know about it, according to my sources.

Project Titan

Rumors about Project Titan all started with a report about Apple preparing to produce an electric car back in 2015. It’s true, and it’s here to stay.

Apple wants its own car. But if anyone tells you that Apple will simply partner with another major automaker to do that, it’s not true at all.

Apple indeed had talks with Hyundai and Kia. Both brands have confirmed this, but that is no longer the case, and probably never will be again.

Apple will have a couple of suppliers for the car, but none of them are major automakers. My sources say that Foxconn will do most of the manufacturing.

I have also read that the Apple Car will be ready by 2024. I don’t think that’s likely. There’s no way we will see this car on the market before 2027, and that’s an optimistic timeline.

There are rumors that suggest the Apple Car has self-driving systems like Tesla and others do. This is absolutely true. In fact, Apple has tested LiDAR sensors in purpose-built Lexus vehicles several times in California. They have even gone so far as to use 72 of these vehicles for these tests. That doesn’t mean Apple’s going to rely on Lexus. They will not, as I told you before, but Apple has a lot of real-world testing to do, and they chose Lexus for it.

There are journalists who base their reports about the Apple Car on Apple patents. As a general rule, you shouldn’t trust those reports. Apple patents dozens of ideas every day, 90% of which never see the light. So just because Apple patents something, doesn’t mean you’ll ever see it in a product.

Let’s recap all of this for a moment in the form of a FAQ.

Will Apple produce its own car, or will it rely on major manufacturers?

Apple will most likely rely on Foxconn and other companies to mass-produce the Apple Car. Apple doesn’t want big car manufacturers, and therefore competitors, to produce Project Titan.

Has Apple had talks with Hyundai, Kia, BMW, and others about producing the Apple Car?

Yes, that is true, but that is no longer the case. Those carmakers, nor any other automakers will produce the Apple Car.

I’ve heard the Apple Car will just be software and implemented in cars from various manufacturers, rather than being a fully functional car. Is that true?

Yes and no. At a certain point in development, around 2018, Apple felt that it would be too difficult to make a car without much experience in this area and considered this idea, but that is no longer the case.

Will the Apple Car be expensive?

This is a very good question, and the answer is yes. Apple knows well that Tesla and others dominate the electric vehicle market with a value of $30,000 to $100,000+. Apple’s initial plan, I hear, is to target the premium audience and potential customers. At some point, Apple will try to compete with other companies at a lower price point, but to do that, they first need a solid reputation that they don’t have yet as a car manufacturer.

Will the Apple Car come to market soon?

No. No matter how many rumors you have heard about a 2021, 2023, 2024, or 2026 release, I do not expect it to be available for purchase and shipped to buyers until 2027, at best. Most likely, it will even have to wait until 2030. So don’t get too excited about a supposedly soon launch, because it won’t happen.

New Apple Car Exclusive Details

I have heard from not one, but two, sources allegedly involved in Project Titan that Apple plans to make the Apple Car iPhone exclusive. Well, not exactly an iPhone, that they don’t know. Let me explain.

Apple wants all of its devices to be used with another Apple device. If you buy an Apple Watch, you need an iPhone. AirPods? An iPhone if you want the full experience. Apple Pencil? You can’t use one with another tablet. Fitness+? You need an Apple Watch. But why does a car need an Apple device to be used, you may be wondering. Well, here’s the kicker: Apple doesn’t want a physical key to unlock the Apple Car, just your iPhone, Apple Watch, or a future Apple product like Apple Glass – but definitely not a key.

What if your iPhone is dead? I’ve asked my sources about this and there is no answer yet. Development is at a very early stage, so these things aren’t so important just yet. The reason is simple, they don’t know what the iPhone will be like in 2030, or if the iPhone will still exist, but Apple will eventually have an answer and I’ll be here to tell you all about it.

Apple has three fully functional Apple Car prototypes, as far as I know. My sources say they are “extremely ugly,” as are most early prototypes, and that they are stored in a very secure location in Germany.

At this point, that’s all we know about the Apple Car and I think it’s a great summary as opposed to the hundreds of articles flooding the internet about what Apple has to offer the car industry. I really hope you enjoyed this article and learned something new about Project Titan. Thanks for reading!

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]