NetEase Technology News, August 25—An article published by The Wall Street Journal highlighted the turmoil within Tesla last year when CEO Elon Musk announced the company's Autopilot fully autonomous driving technology to its internal engineering team. Some employees felt that the technology was not sufficiently safe and believed it shouldn’t have been marketed as "fully automatic driving." Despite this internal dissent, Musk’s leadership has propelled Tesla’s market value past both General Motors and Ford.
Here’s a summary of the key points from the article:
Tesla stunned the automotive industry when Musk unveiled last year that the company’s new models would come equipped with hardware capable of enabling full autonomous driving. This announcement also unsettled many of Tesla’s engineers.
According to insiders, the Autopilot team within Tesla has yet to design a product that they consider safe and reliable enough to operate without human intervention.
During a conference last October, someone questioned Autopilot Director Sterling Anderson about how Tesla could claim its product supported "fully-autonomous driving." Anderson reportedly replied, "This is Musk's decision." Anderson left the company two months later.
Tesla has made impressive strides in autonomous vehicle development, surpassing General Motors earlier this year to become the most valuable automaker in the U.S. Yet, Musk’s ambitious goals for Autopilot are now being tested by the exodus of engineers and growing concerns.
Last October, Tesla claimed that the new hardware would support "almost all scenarios of fully automatic driving" and expected its safety to be at least double that of human drivers. However, Tesla acknowledged that regulatory approval and further testing were needed before the full feature could be realized.
A Tesla spokesperson attributed the turnover within the Autopilot team—comprising over 100 engineers working on both hardware and software—to fierce competition for talent across tech giants, traditional automakers, and startups. Tesla has recruited more than 35 people for Autopilot this year and over 50 in 2016.
In an email, Musk expressed dissatisfaction with some media coverage of Tesla, though he declined to comment specifically on this article.
The challenges in achieving fully autonomous driving are immense, but the potential benefits are equally significant. Proponents argue that driverless cars could reduce traffic congestion and pollution while enhancing safety. Government data shows that human error contributes to 94% of crashes.
Companies developing driverless technology, ranging from Ford and GM to Alphabet’s Waymo and Uber, face a balancing act. If the technology performs too well, drivers might become complacent, ignoring the road or abandoning control. Developing a car capable of autonomous driving in every scenario will face rigorous testing and scrutiny.
Musk argued that Tesla chose to introduce semi-autonomous driving technology because it was already safer than human drivers. Delaying the launch over concerns about negative press or legal liabilities would be unjustifiable.
Musk, a South African-born engineer, made over $100 million from his early investment in PayPal. He is also the CEO of SpaceX, aiming to colonize Mars. He recently announced Tesla’s plans to build the world’s largest lithium-ion battery in Australia.
Ross Gerber, CEO of Gerber Kawasaki in Santa Monica, California, expressed admiration for Musk’s ambition: "They work hard to change the world. That’s why I invest in them."
Musk became Tesla’s CEO in 2008, the same year the company produced its first electric sports car, the Roadster. He often works late into the night and is known to sleep at the factory.
Controversies during Autopilot’s development began in October 2014 when Tesla introduced hardware and later added software upgrades. Engineers were under intense pressure to meet deadlines. Some raised concerns about how quickly the technology was being pushed to market.
In October 2015, Tesla engineer Evan Nakano resigned, citing "reckless decisions" that could endanger customers. Tesla stated that it encourages feedback from its teams and suppliers.
Tesla claims its product design is based on millions of miles of testing by employees and early adopters. The company asserts that Autopilot has logged over 1 billion miles of testing.
A test drive in May 2015 proved disastrous. Tesla engineer Eric Meadows experienced erratic behavior while testing Autopilot on a Model S. He screamed and struggled to regain control. The incident prompted a warning to colleagues against using Autopilot.
During development, engineers sought assistance from suppliers like Mobileye. An engineer reportedly expressed concerns to Mobileye about the safety of the technology if drivers were distracted. Amnon Shashua, Mobileye’s chairman, visited Tesla and ensured the technology would be deployed safely.
When Autopilot launched in late 2015, Tesla emphasized that drivers were responsible for controlling the vehicle. The initial version included warnings for drivers to keep their hands on the wheel.
Safety concerns persist. Audi’s Scott Keogh noted, "This is the worst problem the industry has ventured into." Waymo discovered that employees became overconfident when using autopilot, engaging in risky behavior like reaching for objects.
In October 2016, Tesla announced upgrades to Autopilot, adding eight cameras and enhanced sensors. Some engineers felt the product was not ready for full autonomy. This announcement contributed to the departure of Anderson and at least two other engineers.
Anderson left Tesla last December to co-found Aurora Innovation with Chris Urmson, former head of Google’s self-driving team. Anderson stated in a blog post that Aurora aims to develop driverless car technology responsibly.
Tesla delivered over 47,000 cars in the first half of this year, partly due to its focus on improving autonomous driving technology. Tesla plans to release a new upgrade to its Autopilot hardware soon and Musk intends to showcase a fully autonomous drive from Los Angeles to New York by year-end.
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