3 Signs the Upcoming Apple Car Isn’t Going to Be a Tesla Killer

Given it’s a top priority project, Apple handles every little bit of information with extra care, and this is the reason the firm is very committed to the FBI-inspired secrecy that made it famous.

This doesn’t necessarily mean Apple manages to prevent all leaks. It doesn’t, and unfortunately, the most recent doesn’t necessarily bring good news for those eagerly awaiting the Apple Car.

At some level, it looks like the Apple Car isn’t going to be the Tesla killer that so many people expected. And it’s all because eventually, the project seems more challenging than even Apple itself expected it to be.

Conventional approach

We’ve known for a while that Apple wanted the Apple Car to be a revolutionary product, so the company wanted from the very beginning to offer level 5 autonomy. But instead of a vehicle that would be able to drive without any human input, it now looks like the Apple Car will just stick with a conventional approach.

After opening the door, you’ll be greeted by a traditional cabin that has a steering wheel, pedals, and everything else.

In other words, Apple wouldn’t necessarily launch a revolutionary product but only try to reinvent the wheel with a self-driving system exclusively available on highways.

A lot more affordable

At some point, people with knowledge of the project indicated the Apple Car could sell for as high as $120,000 or even $150,000, and in so many ways, this wasn’t necessarily a shock.

Apple products typically sell at a premium, but at the same time, the hefty price tag is considered an indicator of top-notch build quality and new-gen capabilities.

The Apple Car, however, could end up a lot more affordable, as the vehicle might eventually cost less than $100,000. If this is indeed the approach that Apple wants to use, then the car is likely to be less revolutionary than everybody expected it to be, eventually being priced similarly to an entry-level Model S.

Delayed… again

Previous reports on the development of the Apple Car indicated the iPhone maker planned to launch the vehicle in 2025 or 2024, at the earliest.

Due to the roadblocks the company has been hitting constantly, the launch has slowly but surely been pushed back, and now it looks like the Apple Car wouldn’t see the daylight earlier than 2026.

Of course, Apple has no reason to be in a rush, especially given this is its first car, and everything has to be flawless. But the bigger problem comes down to the impact it can produce in the automotive market. Features like a very limited self-driving system, a conventional design, and so on, already sound less exciting today, and by the time the Apple Car is ready, the whole approach could eventually become rather outdated., turning the project into a dead on arrival release.