Apple Officially Cancels Autonomous Vehicles Program Manufacturer’s Testing Permit
Reading Time: 2 minutes While Apple’s permit for testing autonomous vehicles with a safety driver, AVT030, was active until April 30, 2025, the company officially contacted the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) on September 25, 2024 by phone, to cancel its Autonomous Vehicles Program Manufacturer’s Testing Permit. The permit was formally canceled effective September 27, 2024, bringing a decisive end to the program.
The DMV sent a confirmation letter to Apple via email, stating, “On September 25, 2024, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) received confirmation from Apple Inc. to cancel the Autonomous Vehicles Program Manufacturer’s Testing Permit (AVT030). This permit is hereby canceled, effective September 27, 2024.”
This means that Apple has officially halted its long-rumored autonomous vehicle ambitions, marking a significant strategic shift for the tech giant. In February 2024, Apple executives canceled plans to release an autonomous electric vehicle, opting to redirect resources from the once high-profile “Project Titan” to the company’s generative artificial intelligence efforts.
Since Apple received its permit in 2017, MacReports has closely monitored the company’s autonomous vehicle testing efforts, regularly publishing updates on the number of cars and drivers involved. As of our last report in May 2024, Apple had 68 vehicles and 15 drivers actively participating in the program. This marked a considerable reduction from previous years, raising speculation about the project’s future.
The decision to officially cancel plans for the vehicle in February 2024 signaled a clear pivot in Apple’s strategy, as the company reallocated resources to its expanding artificial intelligence (AI) efforts. Project Titan, once expected to revolutionize the autonomous electric vehicle market, has now been shelved as Apple shifts focus to generative AI.
