Mac Format

Project Titan’s futuristic secrets

Apple’s secret car plans – now shelved – have been revealed

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Project Titan, Apple’s supposed self-driving car scheme, has been the worst-kept secret in Silicon

Valley. Now, even more details have been leaked, thanks to a New York Times article.

The piece alleges that the original aim of Project Titan was to overhaul the idea of what a car should be. So the Apple Car would have spherical wheels like globes, allowing it to potentiall­y move sideways as well as backwards and forwards, and a spherical steering wheel to give more precise control. There would also be motorised doors, plus virtual or augmented reality features for the interior displays. However, a series of disagreeme­nts led to the project stalling. There were arguments over what programmin­g language to use for the car’s software, and whether the car should be fully or semi-autonomous.

These disagreeme­nts led to project leader Steve Zadesky taking a leave of absence, Apple executive Bob Mansfield taking over, and many employees being laid off. Under Mansfield’s watch, Apple has shifted focus onto autonomous software, and is allegedly testing this in a selfdrivin­g bus for Apple employees – but it’s still interestin­g to think what might have been had Apple’s original ideas come to fruition.

 ??  ?? Apple’s plans to revolution­ise the car have changed considerab­ly.
Apple’s plans to revolution­ise the car have changed considerab­ly.

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