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Chris Lattner in and Sterling Anderson out...

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Chris Lattner was hired on and Sterling Anderson has left the company. What do you think this means for the autopilot program?

Is there bad blood? In your opinion, what's going on?
Elsewhere in the forum, a very well respected and informed member, Bonnie Norman, indicated that it was all on good terms and that Sterling has some interesting opportunities he wanted to pursue. Basically Sterling accomplished great things with the Autopilot program and it was time for a new challenge. If you search around the forum, you'll should be able to find her and track her posts.
 
Elsewhere in the forum, a very well respected and informed member, Bonnie Norman, indicated that it was all on good terms and that Sterling has some interesting opportunities he wanted to pursue. Basically Sterling accomplished great things with the Autopilot program and it was time for a new challenge. If you search around the forum, you'll should be able to find her and track her posts.

Here's the thread referenced above:

Autopilot team changes
 
Elsewhere in the forum, a very well respected and informed member, Bonnie Norman, indicated that it was all on good terms and that Sterling has some interesting opportunities he wanted to pursue. Basically Sterling accomplished great things with the Autopilot program and it was time for a new challenge. If you search around the forum, you'll should be able to find her and track her posts.
Bonnie's comments leave me more intrigued with questions regarding the future of autopilot. What does this mean? Where is autopilot heading? How is it currently doing?

What does shadow mode from the newest P100D deliveries reveal?
 
Bonnie's comments leave me more intrigued with questions regarding the future of autopilot. What does this mean? Where is autopilot heading? How is it currently doing?

What does shadow mode from the newest P100D deliveries reveal?
Elsewhere in the forum, a very well respected and informed member, Bonnie Norman, indicated that it was all on good terms and that Sterling has some interesting opportunities he wanted to pursue. Basically Sterling accomplished great things with the Autopilot program and it was time for a new challenge. If you search around the forum, you'll should be able to find her and track her posts.
There are so many conversations going on about this one thing that it's making my head hurt :).

When I posted, the fact that Sterling had left had become public knowledge. The fact that he was leaving was known within Tesla prior to his departure date & it was on good terms at the point in time that I posted, from the people I've talked to.

I don't know what happened after that. As you all know, I love Tesla. I also think the world of Sterling. I hope it all sorts out.
 
I don't know what happened after that.
A cursory read makes two things rather obvious:

1. Tesla learned that Anderson is founding a competitor
2. Further Tesla investigation uncovered what Tesla views as data and IP theft.

That is sure to sour a relationship.
I'm more interested (in a gossipy sort of way) knowing why Anderson strayed in the first place. Perhaps time will tell.

As an aside, it will be interesting to hear who is funding the new start-up. Apple has a long history of losing its stars to start-ups, but they usually stayed somewhere in the Apple universe. Android was a spectacular exception although perhaps unavoidable after Apple chose Darwin over Linux as the foundation for their smartphone. This Anderson story sounds more personal than technical.
 
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A cursory read makes two things rather obvious:

1. Tesla learned that Anderson is founding a competitor
2. Further Tesla investigation uncovered what Tesla views as data and IP theft.

That is sure to sour a relationship.
I'm more interested (in a gossipy sort of way) knowing why Anderson strayed in the first place. Perhaps time will tell.

As an aside, it will be interesting to hear who is funding the new start-up.

The only correction I'd make is that your statements are what Tesla believes to be true. Lots of people are quoting the complaint as fact, that has not been proven.

I've said it in multiple places today on this forum - I find both Tesla & Sterling to be credible. So it's a very sad thing from where I sit. I don't believe Sterling would take IP, but clearly Tesla believes they have evidence that he did. Sterling is technically savvy and I doubt that he would leave such an obvious trail, but stranger things have happened. I suspect the truth will come out one way or another. And I wish both parties well.
 
...Where is autopilot heading? How is it currently doing...

I wouldn't worry too much because people do leave Google, Apple, Tesla to do a startup company.

That's why those companies have an employment contract that deals with such occasions.

People do come and go but the structure, the mission, the plan, the work ethic... are still maintained.

So far, I would say Autopilot is doing pretty well considering general past history of long delays.

The first AP took a year.

This time, the activation was rolling out for first 1,000 owners on 12/31/2016, 2 months after October new hardware.

Everything is pretty much on track so please reserve your popcorn for driverless LAX-NYC demo coming in 11 just another more months.
 
I don get it... If Tesla is at the forefront of self-driving, why wouldn't your pursue the latest technology within the Tesla confines?

Unless it has less to do with the self-driving technology perse... IMO the technology is too much focused on taking Teslas to the next level, which is about handsfree driving.
Here's a great overview of the far-reaching implications and opportunities the technology yields:
Great overview of the (potential) implications of self-driving
 
I don get it... If Tesla is at the forefront of self-driving, why wouldn't your pursue the latest technology within the Tesla confines?

I guess you never heard of "Tesla refugee camps" right?

Some want to have creative freedom so for example, you want to include cup holders for original 2012 Model S, but Tesla would overrule your judgement, so what would you do?

Some would become "Tesla refugee" and go to Lucid or Fara Faro so they can even include a spa chair, not just cup holders!

Former Google left and got rich quick by selling his startup Otto to Uber.

That could be one of the temptations in this case for both Anderson and ex-Google Urmsom.

George Hotz complained Tesla's MobilEye system is just too inferior and expensive but Elon wanted to offer him a contract but he declined and got his own startup instead.

It's hard to say but there are different perspectives.
 
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