Report: Long-time Apple VP Mansfield returns to run car project


Apple Inc. has tapped a highly regarded senior executive who helped bring to market many of Apple's signature products to oversee its fledgling automobile project, according to people familiar with the matter.

Bob Mansfield had stepped back from a day-to-day role at the company a few years ago, after leading the hardware engineering development of products including the MacBook Air laptop computer, the iMac desktop computer, and the iPad tablet. Apple now has Mr. Mansfield running the company's secret autonomous, electric-vehicle initiative, code-named Project Titan, the people said.

Mansfield seems to be well regarded at Apple and has a long track record of successful product launches. Reportedly, Mansfield worked on the Apple Watch, but this appears to be a significant expansion since his retirement.

It will be interesting if this is good news or bad news at this stage for Apple's car project. Is the project advancing quickly to need someone like Mansfield to bring it home, or is the project such a mess Tim Cook needed to enticed a proven vet to get it back on track.