Apple Car Pushed Back To 2026 With Projected 6-Figure Price Tag

Dec. 07, 2022 5:58 PM ET by Chase Bierenkoven Technology / 11 Comments

Apple has A LOT more work to do on its car.

The Apple Car has been in the works for ages, though Bloomberg reports the Tesla Model S-style EV has been pushed back once again. Now, the big day is set for sometime in 2026. This is two years away from the original 2024 timeline. Apple has reportedly also nixed full autonomy (Level 5) because it "isn't feasible with current technology."

However, a level of highway automation is still in the works, and we expect to see something closer to GM's Super Cruise than a self-driving car. There are not currently any fully autonomous cars on the road. However, the way the report puts it, this tech will beat Super Cruise to a pulp.

The report states that "Apple currently plans to develop a vehicle that lets drivers conduct other tasks - say, watch a movie or play a game - on a freeway and be alerted with ample time to switch over to manual control if they reach city streets or encounter inclement weather. The company has discussed launching the feature in North America initially and then improving and expanding it over time."

While hands-off driving tech is becoming more common, many brands are now waiting for infrastructure and regulations to take place. Despite Super Cruise's vast highway network, there are still places the software can't be used. Moreover, brands like Mercedes are having to seek regulatory approval for anything beyond Level 3 autonomy.

2022-2023 Land Rover Range Rover Apple Car Play

Apple's car, when it does arrive, will reportedly use a mix of lidar, radar, and cameras with some kind of "cloud-based component" for processing. Apple is likely looking to leverage its vast cloud capability with the car.

The tech giant has something it calls "Denali," reports Bloomberg, which is the brand's onboard computer system built to work with the cloud software and self-driving software. Reportedly, a sort of "remote command center" will also allow someone to operate the car remotely.

An updated timeline has been provided as well. Apple will finalize the design in 2023, finalize features a year later, and begin testing in 2025, which explains why we haven't seen spy shots yet. Pricing is rumored to be somewhere around $100,000, so the car will be competing with the likes of Tesla, Lucid, and Rivian, as well as Cadillac.