Apple Inc.’s long-fabled car project continues to take a step closer to reality.

The iPhone maker reportedly has hired a former Porsche executive, and it’s also reported to be close to finalizing deals with automotive partners.

The company’s varying efforts to build an autonomous electric vehicle date back to 2014 with various stumbles across along the way. It was reported in 2016 that the Apple car project was dead in the water after Apple cut hundreds of positions and had switched its focus to pursuing self-driving technology that can be applied to other cars. Apple laid off 190 staffers from the self-driving car project in February 2019.

It was reported in December that Apple was aiming to get its self-driving car on the road by 2024, but a later report Jan. 7 claimed that the project may actually take five to seven years to deliver.

Whatever the time frame, Apple’s car project, code-named Project Titan, has had a boost with Apple reported to have hired Dr. Manfred Harrer, vice president of chassis development at Porsche AG. According to Business Insider Deutschland, Harrer was considered to be one of the best engineers in the Volkswagen Group, the owner of Porsche.

“If there was any doubt Apple fully intends to turn its Project Titan ambitions into a viable vehicle in the future, hiring a senior official responsible for car body development from a respected brand should stoke those concerns,” 9to5 Mac said. “Dr. Harrer has more than a decade of experience at Porsche, most recently adding the Cayenne series to his plate at the company and his chassis development leadership dates back to 2016.”

A seemingly great hire is one thing, but obtaining the technologies to put a car together is arguably next level. Apple was first reported to be close to signing a deal with South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Co. Jan. 10, but it may not be only Hyundai coming to the party.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, famed for his remarkable accuracy in predicting future Apple trends, claims Apple will work General Motors Co. and Groupe PSA as well. In addition, in a research note to investors, Kuo said Apple “will deeply co-operate” with Hyundai on the Apple car with Kia, a subsidiary of Hyundai providing a production line for the Apple car in the U.S.

Although Kuo has an immaculate track record, he arguably doesn’t know a lot about cars. Groupe PSA was renamed Stellantis Jan. 16 following the merger of Peugeot S.A. and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. That also raises some questions: Is it likely that GM and the company that owns Chrysler would both work on the Apple car project?

Kuo also noted unsurprisingly that the Apple car will be a “very high-end model” costing significantly more than its competitors.

Image: automobileitalia/Flickr