Hyundai and Kia are no longer in talks with Apple over an autonomous EV
The on-again, off-again relationship is off (for now).
Apple’s Project Titan autonomous EV project has grabbed headlines of late over rumors that it might be built on a platform developed by Hyundai and its subsidiary Kia. However, the potential deal went from “close” to “paused” pretty quickly, and now the automakers say they’re no longer in talks with Apple, according to Bloomberg.
Hyundai would have provided the electric vehicle platform built in North America for Project Titan, while Apple would have developed the vehicle’s hardware and software. Hyundai confirmed that conversations did take place, though it hedged it a bit by saying that “we understand that Apple is in discussion with a variety of global automakers, including Hyundai Motors.”
Production was supposedly going to start by 2024, according to one report from Korea IT News, so the latest development is quite a letdown from that. Apple’s famous privacy is a breeding ground for rumors, though, especially over a product as potentially consequential as an autonomous EV.
It’s possible that the companies have decided to keep talks on the down-low, and they could still restart. Apple has reportedly also spoken with six Japanese automakers, according to a recent Nikkei report. However, analyst Ming-chi Kuo, who has a good record on Apple rumors, recently told Apple Insider that Apple still plans to use Hyundai’s E-GMP platform for its first EV, with Kia manufacturing the vehicle in the US no sooner than 2025.
