The Apple Car is alive and well.
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has announced that its long-awaited self-driving car is still in development and the company expects it to debut in 2021.
Apple said back in 2017 that it had been granted permission to test its autonomous vehicle on public roads in California, which was a huge step forward for the technology company and its self-driving car.
However, two years later, Apple decided to scale down the project and remove about 200 people who had been working on its car, leaving doubts about the future of the vehicle.
But now, Apple has confirmed that it is not only still working on the car, but it’s reportedly two years ahead of schedule. A number of automotive parts suppliers have started preparing to ramp up for production of the Apple car.
Companies such as Heda, BizLink-KY, Heqin, and Tomita are believed to be working on components that should be delivered during the first two quarters of 2021, before the final version of the Apple car makes its debut in September 2021.
Apple is developing its own battery technology that could reduce the cost of power packs and extend the vehicle’s range. Apple is tapping outside partners for elements of the system, including lidar sensors that provide autonomous cars with a real-time, three-dimensional view of the world. Apple is also developing its own lidar technology.
Apple is aiming to have the self-driving car available for sale to consumers by 2024.
