Latest news with #Elluswamy
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Driven, humorous, relentless and can predict future really early: Tesla's Indian-origin VP Ashok Elluswamy on working with Elon Musk
In a recent podcast conversation with YouTuber Gobinath, Ashok Elluswamy , Tesla 's Vice President of AI Software, opened up about his professional journey and offered rare personal insights into what it's like working closely with Tesla CEO Elon Musk . From describing Musk's exceptional drive and sharp sense of humour to reflecting on his own roots and work ethic, Elluswamy painted a vivid picture of life inside one of the world's most innovative companies. Ashok Elluswamy, a robotics engineer originally from Tamil Nadu, has been a part of Tesla's remarkable growth for nearly a decade. Currently residing in San Francisco, he was the first engineer hired for the company's groundbreaking Autopilot team. His trajectory within Tesla, from an initial role in 2014 to his current position as Director of Autopilot Software, mirrors the company's relentless push toward technological excellence and innovation. During the podcast, Elluswamy described Musk as a highly driven leader with a strong sense of humour and an unmatched work ethic. 'He works really hard, easily 80–90 hours a week,' said Elluswamy, who meets with Musk every week. 'He's very smart in the sense that he can predict the future very early. I feel fortunate to work for him.' These qualities, Elluswamy shared, are what make Musk both inspiring and challenging to work with. He noted that Musk's leadership is not just strategic but hands-on. He gets involved in the nitty-gritty of product development and technical discussions. This approach has deeply influenced Elluswamy, who credits much of his own success at Tesla to sharing similar traits with Musk, including a strong work ethic and technical intuition. In a clip of the interview shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Tesla investor Sawyer Merritt, Elluswamy added, 'He is not afraid of taking risks. He is very funny. You can see it in person.' This blend of seriousness, risk-taking, and humour, according to Elluswamy, creates a unique culture within Tesla that pushes boundaries while keeping innovation enjoyable. Musk, for his part, has not shied away from acknowledging Elluswamy's contributions. In the past, he has publicly praised him for his pivotal role in the development of Tesla's Autopilot technology . 'Without him and our awesome team, we would just be another car company looking for an autonomous supplier that doesn't exist,' Musk stated. Elluswamy's academic background adds further depth to his story. He holds a bachelor's degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from the College of Engineering, Guindy, Chennai, and a master's degree in Robotics System Development from Carnegie Mellon University. Before joining Tesla, he worked with leading automotive research teams at Volkswagen and WABCO. Today, Elluswamy stands as a role model for aspiring engineers, particularly from India. His journey from Chennai to Silicon Valley , marked by curiosity, perseverance and excellence, echoes the larger story of Indian talent shaping global technology. His reflections offer not just a glimpse into Tesla's inner workings but also an inspiring example of what dedication and shared vision can achieve in the world of tech.
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
"Driven, Humorous, and Relentless": Tesla's Indian-origin VP Ashok Elluswamy on working with Elon Musk
In a recent podcast conversation with YouTuber Gobinath, Ashok Elluswamy , Tesla 's Vice President of AI Software, opened up about his professional journey and offered rare personal insights into what it's like working closely with Tesla CEO Elon Musk . From describing Musk 's exceptional drive and sharp sense of humour to reflecting on his own roots and work ethic, Elluswamy painted a vivid picture of life inside one of the world's most innovative companies. Ashok Elluswamy, a robotics engineer originally from Tamil Nadu, has been a part of Tesla's remarkable growth for nearly a decade. Currently residing in San Francisco, he was the first engineer hired for the company's groundbreaking Autopilot team. His trajectory within Tesla, from an initial role in 2014 to his current position as Director of Autopilot Software, mirrors the company's relentless push toward technological excellence and innovation. During the podcast, Elluswamy described Musk as a highly driven leader with a strong sense of humour and an unmatched work ethic. 'He works really hard, easily 80–90 hours a week,' said Elluswamy, who meets with Musk every week. 'He's very smart in the sense that he can predict the future very early. I feel fortunate to work for him.' These qualities, Elluswamy shared, are what make Musk both inspiring and challenging to work with. He noted that Musk's leadership is not just strategic but hands-on. He gets involved in the nitty-gritty of product development and technical discussions. This approach has deeply influenced Elluswamy, who credits much of his own success at Tesla to sharing similar traits with Musk, including a strong work ethic and technical intuition. In a clip of the interview shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Tesla investor Sawyer Merritt, Elluswamy added, 'He is not afraid of taking risks. He is very funny. You can see it in person.' This blend of seriousness, risk-taking, and humour, according to Elluswamy, creates a unique culture within Tesla that pushes boundaries while keeping innovation enjoyable. Musk, for his part, has not shied away from acknowledging Elluswamy's contributions. In the past, he has publicly praised him for his pivotal role in the development of Tesla's Autopilot technology . 'Without him and our awesome team, we would just be another car company looking for an autonomous supplier that doesn't exist,' Musk stated. Elluswamy's academic background adds further depth to his story. He holds a bachelor's degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from the College of Engineering, Guindy, Chennai, and a master's degree in Robotics System Development from Carnegie Mellon University. Before joining Tesla, he worked with leading automotive research teams at Volkswagen and WABCO. Today, Elluswamy stands as a role model for aspiring engineers, particularly from India. His journey from Chennai to Silicon Valley, marked by curiosity, perseverance and excellence, echoes the larger story of Indian talent shaping global technology. His reflections offer not just a glimpse into Tesla's inner workings but also an inspiring example of what dedication and shared vision can achieve in the world of tech.
NDTV
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
Tesla's Indian-Origin Vice President Shares Insights On Working With Elon Musk: "Very Funny, Works Hard"
Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla's Vice President of AI Software, recently appeared on a podcast hosted by YouTuber Gobinath, where he offered insights into his experience working closely with Elon Musk, the company's CEO. Mr Elluswamy described Musk as a highly driven individual with a sharp sense of humour, emphasising his relentless work ethic and hands-on approach to leadership. During the conversation, Mr Elluswamy also delved into his personal journey, reflecting on his Tamil heritage and the path that led him to a pivotal role at one of the world's most innovative companies. Mr Elluswamy further attributed his success at the company to sharing similar traits with Elon Musk, such as a strong work ethic and technical intuition. Sawyer Merritt, a Tesla investor, shared a snippet of the interview on X. "Tesla's VP of AI Software Ashok Elluswamy on what it's like to work with Elon Musk: "I meet with him every week. He is really smart in the sense that he can predict the future very early; He works really hard. easily 80-90 hours per week. I feel fortunate to work for him. He is not afraid of taking risks. He is very funny. You can see it in person," the caption of the video read. Watch the video here: Tesla's VP of AI Software Ashok Elluswamy on what it's like to work with Elon Musk: "I meet with him every week. He is really smart in the sense that he can predict the future very early; He works really hard. Easily 80-90 hours per week. I feel fortunate to work for him. He is… — Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) May 14, 2025 In the past, Musk has also publicly praised Mr Elluswamy for his pivotal role in developing Tesla's Autopilot technology. "Without him and our awesome team, we would just be another car company looking for an autonomous supplier that doesn't exist," Musk said. Who is Ashok Elluswamy? Ashok Elluswamy is a robotics engineer. He holds a bachelor's degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from the College of Engineering Guindy, Chennai and a Master's in Robotics System Development from Carnegie Mellon University. He has vast experience in computer vision and perception, as well as planning and control, according to his LinkedIn Currently living in San Francisco, he was the first engineer to be hired for Tesla's Autopilot team. Mr Elluswamy has been with Tesla for 10 years, starting in June 2014. After 2.5 years, he advanced to a senior software engineer position. In May 2019, he was promoted to Director of Tesla Autopilot Software, a role he holds to this day. Before joining Tesla, Mr Elluswamy was associated with Volkswagen Electronic Research Lab and WABCO Vehicle Control System.
