Apple auto on the way in 2019

But while the “ship date” has reportedly been set for 2019, the Journal reports that could just be the date the car’s design is finalized, not the date it goes on sale.

The Journal first reported that Apple had planned to develop its own electric vehicle back in February.

And the company’s legal staff have met with civic authorities in California to discuss the matter, according to other reports.

Apple’s target to build a auto with their innovative ideas by 2019 is ambitious and it will be a challenge for the company to step into the automobile industry due to its lack of experience in manufacturing cars.

At a conference in May, Jeff Williams, Apple’s senior vice president of operations, called cars “the ultimate mobile device”, signally the company’s firm interest in exploring the automotive market. That capability is part of the product’s long-term plans, the people familiar with the matter said.

Speculation around the date is also based on company management giving the “go-ahead” to triple the project’s 600-strong team.

While Apple is rumored to be interested in making computerized cars that can drive themselves, the first version will require motorists to be in control, the Journal reported. Google announced last week that it’s hired former Hyundai U.S. CEO John Krafcik to run its self-driving vehicle program.

So does this mean we should expect to see Apple Cars on the roads before the end of the decade? Another complication is how the cars would be sold; Apple is a centralized company whose preferred method of distribution is through direct sales and the Apple Store. However, Tesla has demonstrated that it’s time for big changes in the automotive industry, and Apple could have taken notice.