A recent Bloomberg report shared details about a car project by Apple that was stopped last month. This car, nicknamed “the Bread Loaf” because of how it looked, was a bit like a modern version of the classic Volkswagen bus. It was white, had round sides, sliding doors, an all-glass roof, and special tires. It was made to fit four people comfortably and was going to drive itself without a steering wheel or pedals. Instead, people could use a special controller or an iPhone app to move it at slow speeds.
The plan for the car included fancy features like a big TV screen, a high-quality sound system, and windows that could change how dark they were on their own. The seats inside were going to be very comfortable, and you could even turn them into recliners.
The idea of Apple making a car goes back to conversations Steve Jobs, the former leader of Apple who died in 2011, had in 2008. He thought Apple should be important in all areas of life, including where we go. After the big financial problems in 2008, he even thought about buying General Motors. But then he decided to focus on making the iPhone better.
Years later, when Tim Cook was in charge of Apple, they thought about making a car again. They even thought about buying Tesla, a company that makes electric cars, in 2014. But they decided not to go through with it and also stopped a possible partnership with Mercedes-Benz.
The car project, called Project Titan, didn’t go forward because Apple wasn’t sure about a lot of things. Some people working on it didn’t think it would work out, calling it “the Titanic disaster.” If Apple tries to make a car again, it won’t be while Tim Cook is the boss.
