If you’re looking to take a joyride in Apple’s iCar, you’ll have to wait a few more years.
Apple Inc. has been stirring up excitement about the iCar since announcing the electric vehicle in 2014. The EV was supposed to be a Level 5 autonomous system, which means the car takes the wheel entirely, allowing passengers to sit back and let the car do all the work. There were even talks of excluding a steering wheel altogether. However, the road to a fully functioning Apple automobile is proving to be full of twists and turns.
The anticipated debut was originally set for 2024. However, it was then delayed until 2026. Now, Apple has pushed back production to 2028, according to a report from Bloomberg. One major update regarding the iCar is that Apple seems to be downshifting. The latest intel suggests a change to Level 4 autonomy, meaning it’ll cruise fully autonomously but only on approved highways. This means that a steering wheel will likely be present after all.
Sources spilled the beans to Bloomberg that the debut model may even flaunt “Level 2+” autonomy, a term not officially defined by SAE but hinting at capabilities beyond the ordinary Level 2. Apple is taking a page from Tesla’s playbook, focusing on a slick design, robust safety features, and a user interface that’s as unique as a rare gem.
Despite these slight issues, Apple still has plans to upgrade the iCar’s self-driving capabilities to Level 4 sometime after the official launch and new models are unveiled. Whenever the iCar does make it debut, it run customers well over $100,000.
