"Tesla hires Apple VP Doug Field to lead vehicle programs, responsible for driving development of new vehicles." Which naturally leads to some questions. What is 'driving development', and what special expertise does an Apple VP possess when it comes to leading vehicle programs? - - - Updated - - - So, 'driving' in the sense of 'making it happen' as opposed to 'operating a vehicle'?
Lots- Apple hardware engineering is heavily involved in design and manufacturing- especially very advanced processes and materials Doug Field was also CTO for Segway previously
He worked at Ford before. http://www.macrumors.com/2013/10/24/tesla-motors-hires-doug-field-apples-vp-of-mac-hardware-engineering-to-lead-new-vehicle-development/
here's another excerpt from AppleInsider with some more details "Tesla Motors officially announced the hire Thursday afternoon. In his new role at the company, Field will serve as vice president of Vehicle Programs, and will be responsible for driving development of new vehicles. In taking on the new position, Field has left his role as vice president of Mac Hardware Engineering at Apple. In that role, he oversaw the development of the latest MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and iMac models. "Until Tesla came along, I had never seriously considered leaving Apple," said Field. "I started my career with the goal of creating incredible cars, but ultimately left the auto industry in search of fast-paced, exciting engineering challenges elsewhere. "As the first high tech auto company in modern history, Tesla is at last an opportunity for me and many others to pursue the dream of building the best cars in the world--while being part of one of the most innovative companies in Silicon Valley." The position at Tesla marks a return to the automotive industry for Field, as he began his career as an engineer at Ford Motor Company. Before he joined Apple, he was a chief engineer at Segway. "Doug has demonstrated the leadership and technical talent to develop and deliver outstanding products, including what are widely considered the best computers in the world," said Elon Musk, co-founder and CEO of Tesla. "Tesla's future depends on engineers who can create the most innovative, technologically advanced vehicles in the world. Doug's experience in both consumer electronics and traditional automotive makes him an important addition to our leadership team." Field has a Masters in Mechanical Engineering and Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a BS in Mechanical Engineering with highest distinction from Purdue. "
yep - great fit; Cars to electric segways to advanced design, mfg, and electronics- with great company pedigrees ; thumbs up from this corner
He's also an alumni of the LGO (formerly LFM) program at MIT. Didn't realize that until I saw the statement at the bottom about a MS ME and MBA from MIT and thought - not many people do them separately and there is only one program that lets you do it concurrently. I'm finishing up my second year there now. Its exciting to see alums killing it out in industry.
LinkedIn shows his job title at Apple as "VP, Product Design". Prior to Apple he was at Segway for 9 years. Join LinkedIn | LinkedIn
+1 oodle! I hope he can get his hands into any tech that goes into the Model X before he helps with Gen III!
-1 Disagree and one of the most recent innovations was in his area of responsibility Mac Pro - - - Updated - - - Not just at Segway. As I posted earlier he was CTO
Indeed, watch this and decide if you think this is "stale" engineering: Apple - Making the all-new Mac Pro - YouTube I, for one, think that Apple hardware engineering is extraordinary. I think Tesla's with a bit of Mac Pro and iPad Air would be quite fabulous!