Ex-Tesla engineer Doug Field is back at Apple, working with the exec in charge of Project Titan, Apple's self-driving car program

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Apple CEO Tim Cook and Didi Chuxing's Jean Liu take a car in China.

• Doug Field, a former Apple engineer who jumped to Tesla in 2013 and eventually oversaw production of the Tesla Model 3, is back at Apple and he's working with the team in charge of Apple's self-driving car program.
• Field rejoined Bob Mansfield, who is leading Apple's Project Titan, tech journalist John Gruber and Reuters reported late Thursday night.
• Field stepped away from Tesla in May. The electric-car maker officially announced his departure in July.
• Project Titan has shown signs of life in recent weeks, despite earlier rumors that the division was flailing.

Doug Field, a former engineering executive who previously oversaw the production of the Tesla Model 3, has returned to Apple to work with Bob Mansfield, who is leading Apple's self-driving car program, Project Titan.

Field last worked in Apple's Mac division in 2013, before going to Tesla. He stepped away from the electric-car maker in May, and Tesla officially announced his departure in July.

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Tech correspondent John Gruber and Reuters reported Field's new role at Apple late Thursday night.

The news follows revelations about Project Titan that emerged last month, hinting that the program was apparently more robust than previously thought. According to an affidavit filed in an FBI investigation, Apple has been working on components that could be used in some type of vehicle.

Apple was also building prototypes and had requirements for power, battery system, and "drivetrain suspension mounts," according to the affidavit.

Perhaps the biggest hint was that some 5,000 employees were given access to information about "the Project," as it's described in the affidavit. Previous estimates pegged the number at about 1,000.

Kif Leswing contributed to this report.

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