Back in January, it was reported that Apple had let go over 200 employees working on its Project Titan efforts.

Project Titan is Apple’s self-driving, autonomous vehicle effort. The company is working on a variety of different efforts in this regard. Rumors have pointed to a proper Apple-branded vehicle, or to software installed in a range of self-driving vehicles. As it stands right now, there is no final word from Apple on what it’s actually planning on launching.

Now, according to a report from the San Francisco Chronicle, based on documentation provided by Apple to California Employment Development Department, the company has confirmed the layoffs. While the initial report suggested that over 200 people had been removed from the project, this confirmation says that the company is laying off 190 employees that worked on the project.

Specifically, 31 product design engineers, 22 software engineers, 38 engineering program managers, 33 hardware engineers, and more will be let go on April 16, 2019.

Apple wasn’t coy about the initial report earlier this year, though. At the time, Apple said that some employees would be getting let go altogether, while others were being redeployed in other areas at the company. Here is how the company described the layoffs at the time.

“We have an incredibly talented team working on autonomous systems and associated technologies at Apple. As the team focuses their work on several key areas for 2019, some groups are being moved to projects in other parts of the company, where they will support machine learning and other initiatives, across all of Apple,” the spokesperson said.

“We continue to believe there is a huge opportunity with autonomous systems, that Apple has unique capabilities to contribute, and that this is the most ambitious machine learning project ever,” they added.”

Some have theorized that, following the re-hire of Doug Field to lead Project Titan late last year, Apple’s vision for the program shifted as well. What that actually means for a real product, whether it’s just software for other vehicles or an outright Apple Car, remains to be seen.

It was recently reported that Apple’s car might actually be an electric van. And some estimates suggest Apple will launch this project to the public in 2023.

Do you think Apple should launch a car?

[via SF Chronicle]








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