Steve Zadesky, a veteran at Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is leaving the company. He is the head of the tech giant’s electric car project, according to Wall Street Journal based on information from people with knowledge about the situation.
Mr. Zadesky has been supervising the Apple’s electric car project over the past two years. Currently, he is still working for the tech giant based on his LinkedIn profile. The report indicated that he informed people in the company regarding his plan to resign.
One person told WSJ that the main reason for his departure was personal and it has nothing to do with his performance. Mr. Zadesky previously worked as iPod and iPhone engineer for years. Prior to joining Apple in 1999, Mr. Zadesky was an engineer at Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F).
Apple Project Titan
In 2014, he was tasked to evaluate the possibility for Apple to enter the electric car market. Apple’s electric car initiative was code named “Project Titan” last year, according to the report.
The report indicated that under Mr. Zadesky, Apple’s automotive teach tripled to around 600 employees in September, and he is responsible for setting up a vision for the project
People familiar with the matter suggested that the tech giant’s automotive team encountered problems in outlining clear goals for the project. They also suggested that Apple has been urging the team set ambitious deadlines. However, some members of the team feel that it is impossible to meet the set targets
There had been numerous reports and speculations about the Project Titan, but Apple never confirmed that it is developing an electric car. It is interesting to note, that the tech giant hired a number of experts in the auto industry, battery technology and autonomous driving.
Some members of Apple’s automotive team believes that it will take several more years for them to develop a unique electric car that is ready to compete in the market, according to the sources. The magement of the tech giant was reportedly aiming to launch a product in 2019 or 2024.
Apple CEO Tim Cook expressed his thoughts during the WSJDLive conference in October that there will be a “massive change in the industry” citing the reason that software and autonomous driving will become increasingly important.
