Apple's dream of creating an all-electric self-driving vehicle is no longer alive, as the company recently shut down its decade-long project. However, there are various takeaways on why the company decided to pull the plug on its project. Well, Mark Gurman from Bloomberg sat down with Drake Bennett today to publish an in-depth report on why the Apple Car has been canceled and what it looked like.
Despite various chances of acquisitions and partnerships, the Apple Car failed to get out of the prototype stage
The latest report shares a wide range of details on Apple's failed attempt to create an electric vehicle, including prototypes, manufacturing, acquisitions involved, and much more. Apple has pushed the development of its electric car for a long time before finally giving in to consistent issues derived from its motive and the industry as a whole.
The report from Bloomberg describes the Apple Car prototype as a "white minivan with rounded sides," kind of giving an impression of a loaf of bread, which it was sometimes called internally. It featured sliding doors, a giant glass roof, and whitewall tires. It is strange to see why Apple chose to go with a minivan approach instead of something similar to a Tesla. However, since it was only a prototype, the company could have opted for a different approach in the final design. The vehicle also featured a gigantic TV inside coupled with a hefty sound system and the seats could transform into recliners.
If Apple had gone ahead with the minivan design, it would have catered to a very specific niche. In its process, the company also considered acquiring Tesla to bolster its plans for the vehicles. However, the deal was canceled by Tim Cook three years after he became the CEO of Apple amid negotiations with Elon Musk. Tesla's market value at the time was $30 billion, and it seemed like a good opportunity for Apple to enter the automotive industry.
The report mentions that Apple has also considered acquiring Mercedez-Benz, but the negotiations progressed toward a partnership instead of a buyout. The German manufacturer agreed to work with Apple but wanted the company to offer its self-driving platform and the user interface for its own line. This potentially triggered Apple to pull itself out of the deal.
Besides this, Apple's self-driving car failed to become a reality due to its high ambitions from the project. The prototype did not "get as far as testing a full-scale prototype on public roads." The reason revolves around technical difficulties that it experienced with its self-driving platform. Other than this, the punishing nature of the automotive economics also allowed Apple to move away from the project.
Altogether, the Apple Car was bound to be a failure due to Apple's failed attempts to partner or associate with another car manufacturer. It went along with the research and development, and although it made various hirings, the project remained stagnant. Eventually, the prototype and the company's ambitions succumbed to years of ongoing issues. You can check out the full report from Bloomberg for more details. We will share additional information on the matter as soon as further details are available.
