Few people know the actual parameters of the project. Some have suggested Apple wants to build a better self-driving car than Google or a better electric car than Tesla Motors. Reports last week said Apple wants to begin production of an EV as early as 2020. A lawsuit by battery maker A123 Systems alleging that Apple poached its top engineers suggests that Apple is working on acquiring advanced battery technology.
Others think Apple wants to expand its electronics empire by designing an upgradeable in-car interface that wouldn’t become obsolete as rapidly as the infotainment systems in most of today’s cars.
But the code-name of the project itself suggests that Apple’s ambitions are broader than that, even if they don’t include selling an Apple-branded vehicle.