Apple "Rethinking" Self-Driving Car Plans

Apple is reportedly "rethinking" its self-driving car technology, after laying-off dozens of staff related to the project code-named as Titan. But does this mean the world's most valuable tech company will ditch the "secret" project? 

Maybe not, as according to The New York Times, citing an earlier Bloomberg report, Apple is shifting its focus to building technology and software needed to operate self-driving cars from previous reports of designing and producing automobiles. The newspaper cited three people who were briefed of the move as saying that the mass layoffs were a "reboot." They spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss the move publicly.

NBC later said the move was confirmed by a person with knowledge of Project Titan. Apple has yet to comment but it had consistently never said anything about its self-driving car initiative.

Over the last two years, Apple has been rumored to develop the project. But according to The Drum, the company has only acknowledged the project at a shareholder's meeting this year. Last July, Apple tapped company veteran Bob Mansfield to oversee the project, as progress into it has since stalled because of technical delays.

The New York Times says Apple has made some progress into its autonomous vehicles. It cited people briefed on the plan, who said the vehicles are already "in the middle of testing in a closed environment."

Apple is not only the tech company that has ventured out into the automotive industry. Google, through its parent company Alphabet, has ramped up efforts and tests into technology to make self-driving cars work.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors, says it will be releasing improvements to its Autopilot technology within two weeks' time. Tesla's self-driving feature has drawn criticism after an accident killed its test driver last May. As per reports, In a controversial move, Uber will start testing its self-driving cars in Pittsburgh this week.