Apple Cancels Self-Driving Vehicle Testing Permit in California After Abandoning Car Project

Just over six months after Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple abandoned its plans to release an electric vehicle, California's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) canceled Apple's autonomous vehicle testing permit, according to macReports.

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The report states that the DMV received confirmation from Apple to cancel the permit on September 25, and the permit became canceled as of September 27. While this decision is not surprising given Gurman's reporting earlier this year, this is effectively the final nail in the coffin for Apple's decade-long electric vehicle project.

The permit allowed Apple to test a self-driving vehicle with a safety driver on any public road within California. Apple received the permit in 2017, and macReports said that it would have been active until April 30, 2025 had it not been canceled.

Apple was using leased Lexus SUVs equipped with an array of sensors and cameras to test various autonomous driving technologies on California streets.

Read our Apple Car roundup for more details about the canceled project.

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Top Rated Comments

minimo3 Avatar
7 months ago

Just buy Tesla Apple. Elon is a jerk anyway.
You almost need a jerk leader to build revolutionary products - Elon alone has Tesla, spaceX and starlink. Then there’s Steve Jobs and Sam Altman for OpenAI as further examples. If you’re a “nice” leader that bows to public opinion you get today’s Google with Sundar Pichai, todays Apple with Tim Cook and the Chevy Blazer with Mary Barra. You must make your own decision if you want awesome products or pleasant CEOs
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mxrider88 Avatar
7 months ago
After seeing Tesla robocab they had a meeting and decided to focus on emojis
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Cloudyskies22 Avatar
7 months ago

Just buy Tesla Apple. Elon is a jerk anyway.
Jerks get stuff done.


See: Steve Jobs
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vertsix Avatar
7 months ago
By the looks of it, Vision Pro is next. :(
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ProbablyDylan Avatar
7 months ago

Tim Cook's biggest failure. Shame on you Timmy.
I don't see this as a failure. Knowing when to hit the brakes is an important part of being a leader.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
breenmask Avatar
7 months ago

Apple was NEVER going to build a car.

I've been saying that for what feels like a decade at this point. It was somebody's pet project that was NEVER going to be a product.
Yeah because they poached Doug Field (key head engineer guy for Model 3) from Tesla to never build a car, right?
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)