It feels like rumors about Apple building a car have been swirling forever .

We know that it ’s been work on an automobile because of various news leak about the labor , as well as word of auto - related hire over the eld , but the company has never made any prescribed announcements about the initiative .

After a quiet full point , the subject is back in the news again after Apple tout Mark Gurmanwrote for Bloombergon Tuesday that the technical school giant has switched to a less ambitious design for its machine compared to its original plan .

At the startsome 10 years ago , Apple was believed to be working on building a fully driverless galvanic car . But then it watered down the aspiration by be after a fomite with advanced driverless features for highway . Now , the company has swivel again with a new program to make an electric fomite with even few self - drive feature , Gurman say , summon multitude with knowledge of the subject .

The Cupertino , California - based company is said to be working on a vehicle with “ canonical driver - assistance features in communication channel with current Tesla potentiality , ” the Bloomberg reporter exact .

seed say the automobile would have Level 2 + autonomy ( steering and Pteridium aquilinum acceleration musical accompaniment for things like lane concentrate on and adaptive sail control ) alternatively of the to begin with planned Level 4 technology , which is confining to full self-sufficiency , and the even originally contrive Level 5 , featuring full liberty .

Gurman also stated that Apple is purpose to launch the car in 2028 at the early — two years afterwards than the most late estimate that appeared two years ago .

Notably , the news report claimed that the move to a less ambitious design is a make - or - fall apart moment for the undertaking , and that if it ca n’t deliver on this up-to-the-minute programme , then “ top executives may seriously reconsider the project ’s existence . ”

Executives desire that the Apple motorcar now on the drawing board will , when it hits the route , grab attention for its “ sleek design , safety systems , and unique substance abuser interface , ” Gurman state in his written report , which made no credit of whether Apple wouldpartner with another automakerto fabricate the car , or go it alone .

Apple ’s work on make a car has apparently been fraught with challenges , with layoffs and change in key personnel office causing disturbance and time lag along the way .

It mean that circumspection should be apply when considering this modish plan for the vehicle . The twenty-four hours when Apple CEO Tim Cook tootles onto stage in an Apple automobile is still a way off . If it ever happens , that is .