---
title: "Apple’s Self-Driving Car Spotted in the Wilds of Silicon Valley Again"
description: "After a strategy shift, things are moving quickly for Apple's autonomous car program."
date: "2017-05-23"
modified: "2017-05-23"
authors:
  - name: "Kyle Cheromcha"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kyle-cheromcha"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/tech/10564/apples-self-driving-car-spotted-in-the-wilds-of-silicon-valley-again"
categories:
  - "Car Tech"
  - "News"
  - "Self-Driving Tech"
tags:
  - "Apple"
  - "autonomous"
  - "self-driving"
  - "Testing"
---

# Apple’s Self-Driving Car Spotted in the Wilds of Silicon Valley Again

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/05/apple-car.png>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Now that Apple has a permit to test its fledgling autonomous vehicle setup on California roads, it's clear the company is racing to catch up with the competition after years of delays and false starts. Last month, it was *Bloomberg* who grabbed [the first images](<https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-04-27/check-out-the-lexus-that-apple-s-using-to-test-self-driving-car-technology>) of a tech-laden Lexus RX450h being used as an Apple self-driving car mule; now, *MacRumors* gives us a first look at the white SUV in motion.

[Captured by a *MacRumors* reader](<https://www.macrumors.com/2017/05/22/apple-self-driving-car-spotted-in-video/>) yesterday in Palo Alto, the clip shows the white Lexus exiting the 101 North freeway onto a frontage road carrying the same array of cameras, sensors, and radar seen in the *Bloomberg* images. Apple is currently operating three of these test cars, according to the permit documents, and experts say the fact that the system is cobbled together with purchased components (including top-of-the-line lidar from [Velodyne](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/6512/velodynes-cheap-new-solid-state-lidar-could-redefine-the-self-driving-car-game>)) indicates a software-first approach.

That would square with the string of reports dating back to last September that indicated Apple was scaling back its ambitious plan to build its own car from scratch. Project Titan was conceived as a way to [beat auto manufacturers](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/3650/should-apple-build-its-own-car>) at their own game, but delays and cost overruns eventually led to layoffs and a shift in strategy towards the technology side, under the leadership of Apple veteran Bob Mansfield.

https://youtube.com/embed/DtQcNHw-w8M

With [the crack team](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/9650/apple-hires-former-tesla-nasa-staffers-in-driverless-car-push>) facing an end-of-year deadline to prove the "feasibility" of the whole project to upper management, it appears they're pushing full steam ahead on the testing phase. And if the Lexus was operating autonomously in this video, they're off to a pretty good start—though it appears to be hugging the right side of the road, it's actually [headed for a secondary exit](<https://www.google.com/maps/@37.4614644,-122.1420781,3a,75y,326.23h,67.19t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sjRZDNE-oCK8VFtlEJ0mV_g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656>) that doesn't have its own lane.

*[MacRumors](<https://www.macrumors.com/2017/05/22/apple-self-driving-car-spotted-in-video/>)* points out that like other companies testing self-driving setups, Apple is required by California law to file public "Disengagement Reports" at the end of the year summarizing their data and disclosing any adverse incidents. Even though we're bound to see more of these camera-laden Lexus fleet in the meantime, don't expect much in the way of concrete information from the notoriously tight-lipped company until then.

## Author
Overseeing an expert staff of writers and editors from his lair in Los Angeles, Kyle shapes The Drive’s singular approach to covering the automotive industry and car culture. He’s been with the site as a writer since 2017, taking over as editor in 2019. On a daily basis, Kyle is responsible for directing The Drive's editorial news and car review content strategies, setting special coverage priorities, managing complex reporting projects, and ensuring what you read on the page meets our high internal standards for quality and trustworthiness. He is also the executive producer of The Drive's YouTube channel, which was relaunched in February 2024 to great acclaim and has accumulated over 14M new views in its first year back on the scene. He hosts a biweekly series on the channel where he breaks down fascinating and complicated stories from the automotive world.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/kylecheromcha.bsky.social>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/kylecheromcha>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-cheromcha-1550248a/>)