The likelihood of an Apple iCar is looking increasingly dim.

As Bloomberg reports, Apple has cut hundreds of jobs, reassigning or firing members of the 1,000-person team; others simply quit the project in recent months. Cupertino is now focused on creating software rather than an actual vehicle, Bloomberg's sources say, so that it can potentially partner with existing carmakers.

That follows a September report from the New York Times, which said Apple had "laid of dozens" of people as it cut back its car effort, dubbed Project Titan.

Reports of an Apple car have been kicking around for some time. But Apple never acknowledged its work on a vehicle—autonomous, electric, or otherwise. According to Bloomberg, the effort has encountered "strategy disagreements, leadership flux, and supply chain challenges." The team has until late next year to prove that a car project is worth Apple's time and money.

Apple did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment.

From securing auto-themed domain names to poaching executives from Tesla, it is clear Apple is at least exploring the idea. Still, CEO Tim Cook has remained coy about it. "Do you remember when you were a kid, and Christmas Eve, it was so exciting, you weren't sure what was going to be downstairs? Well, it's going to be Christmas Eve for a while," he said earlier this year.

There is plenty of competition in the space. Not only is rival Google testing its own self-driving vehicles, but manufacturers like Volvo, Ford, Toyota, GM, Nissan, Fiat Chrysler, and Tesla, among others, have jumped on the autonomous bandwagon.

Cupertino, meanwhile, was recently rumored to be mulling an acquisition of or trategic investment in British luxury sports car maker McLaren, but nothing has been announced.

Main image courtesy of designer Meni Tsirbas (@MeniThings; YouTube)