An unnamed source sparked rumors by saying that the long-awaited Apple Car might arrive in 2026 and that it will be able to navigate highways with an advanced driving assistance system.
Talks about an Apple Car have been circulating in the automotive field for many years; back in 2016, rumors circled that Apple canceled all its plans to work on an actual car and switched its focus to autonomous driving technology. But now, after many years, unnamed sources told Bloomberg about recent developments regarding the Apple Car Project.
The main gist is this — Apple is planning to postpone its car release to 2026 (it had earlier marked 2025 as its year). Also, the price is set to be lower than $100,000, so it will definitely compete with premium offerings. However, the journey of the Apple Car has been bumpy since its start, as many rumors said the company stopped development.
But the new Bloomberg report clarifies that Apple will settle on an electric car that won’t be fully autonomous, though it will enable some self-driving features. This is not surprising, as other automakers, like Tesla, still haven’t cracked the fully autonomous feature, and a breakthrough doesn’t seem to be on the horizon.
Therefore, like most competitors, Apple’s car will feature a steering wheel and pedals. Meanwhile, its driving assistance systems will utilize Lidar and radar sensors, along with cameras, to steer the vehicle on the highway.
The processor that will control the system has been codenamed Denali. Allegedly, it is “about four of Apple’s highest-end Mac chips combined,” says Bloomberg, which sets the expectations very high. Also, drivers can activate the self-driving mode only on highways, making us think that Apple wants to avoid Tesla’s mistakes.
Despite persistent rumors about approaching Nissan and Hyundai in the past two years, Apple has kept very silent about its car plans. Let us see how far these new rumors come true.
