Apple hires two former Mercedes engineers to join special projects group as Apple Car rumors increase

Apple has hired two former Mercedes engineers to join the company, probably as part of its effort to continue building its internal workforce while continuing to develop an “Apple Car.”

The new leading contracts previously worked at Mercedes, focusing on mass vehicle production, vehicle steering, dynamics and program and project management. The contract, which now works as a product design engineer at Apple in its “Special Projects Group,” also previously worked at Porsche, assuming similar responsibilities. A second engineer who previously worked at Mercedes has also recently been approved by Apple to join the company, MacRumors ha après.

The “Apple Car,” internally called “Project Titan,” is one of the company’s most secretive projects. Despite countless rumors, Apple’s ultimate goal in the automotive space is still unclear. Apple’s latest contracts join the list of former engineers and executives the Cupertino tech giant has approved for some of the world’s largest carmakers.

While the company continues to build up its workforce with the skills and talents needed to produce and develop a car, Apple has also had several setbacks. The company lost several senior executives of the “Titan Project” throughout the year, which could derail the timeline of an “Apple Car.” Kevin Lynch, best known for his work on the Apple Watch, is helping direct “Project Titan.”

While Apple has invested in its internal talent over the past few years, it will also have to rely on third parties to help it move the wheels. Apple is reportedly in talks with several vendors, including its largest, Foxconn, and vehicle-related partnerships. The talks and discussions have so far not materialized in any formal agreement.

Foxconn, which is the mass producer of the iPhone, will likely be taken advantage of to have some role in the supply chain of an Apple Car, which is said to be at least half a decade away. One of Apple’s most recently mentioned contracts previously had responsibilities in the launch schedule for mass production of Mercedes vehicles, which could be an asset for the company.