‘Project Titan’ was Apple’s decade-long self-driving car ambitions that could not see the light of day, and after burning through an estimated $10 billion in the venture, the company finally threw in the towel and axed the project, with reports stating that it was not financially viable. With all employees working in this area either re-assigned or laid off, it appears we are finally done with this chapter, but according to the latest report, it is revealed that Apple and Chinese automaker BYD were partners for years for a custom battery specifically designed for the self-driving vehicle.
Report does not dive into why the partnership between Apple and BYD did not blossom, but it likely had to do with ‘Project Titan’ getting scrapped
While Project Titan was still being worked on, Apple was involved with a number of companies to help design and mass produce specific components that would eventually complete the self-driving car. According to Bloomberg, one of those firms was BYD, a Chinese automaker that is gaining immense traction on its home turf. Unfortunately, the business did not materialize into something long-term because despite Apple and BYD being involved for years, the iPhone maker ended the partnership.
The report does not expand upon why the relationship between the two companies did not go beyond a certain point, but it might have to do with the trade sanctions placed by U.S. on China, which limited entities in the region from conducting their business with American firms, or those influenced by U.S. authorities. Apple became interested in BYD when the latter’s engineers previewed the the Blade to executives.
For those who do not know, the Blade was a new lithium iron phosphate battery designed for EVs and known for its safety, durability, and increased lifespan. The Blade system proved successful in China, showcasing evidence as to why Apple wanted to form a long-term partnership with BYD. Regardless if Project Titan did not produce a single commercial vehicle, even a trillion-dollar company such as Apple can learn some harsh lessons from its failure, which it can re-purpose towards another venture.
News Source: Bloomberg
