Latest news with #HenryKuang
The Verge
14 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Verge
Tesla loses key execs but hires a new one from GM's failed robotaxi company
There's some executive shuffling going on at Tesla. Two key leaders have left recently – one of them being fired by CEO Elon Musk – but the company also hired an exec from Cruise, GM's failed robotaxi company. Yesterday, reports from Forbes and CNBC said that Musk had fired Omead Afshar, who formerly led operations in North America and Europe and was a close confidant of Musk's. (Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal also reported that Afshar left the company, though did not say he was fired.) The firing follows a major slump in sales for Tesla's automotive business – last quarter, revenue for that organization fell 20 percent year-over-year. Afshar first joined Tesla in 2017, where he started as a project manager in the office of the CEO, according to his LinkedIn. In 2022, he was reportedly investigated internally for a glass purchase for a secret project. Tesla also recently lost Milan Kovac, its VP who headed up the Optimus humanoid robotics team. Kovac said that he left because he needed to spend more time with family abroad. Musk thanked Kovac in a reply. To add to its executive ranks, though, Tesla hired Henry Kuang, who formerly was Head of Autonomy at Cruise, Electrek reports. He lists his title as 'Director, AI / Deep Learning for Autonomous Driving' on his LinkedIn, which says he started in the job in May. Tesla is ramping up its robotaxi efforts, though the initial launch this month has been rocky.
Reuters
15 hours ago
- Automotive
- Reuters
Tesla hires former Cruise executive as AI director, Electrek reports
June 27 (Reuters) - Tesla (TSLA.O), opens new tab has hired former Cruise executive, Henry Kuang, as the automaker's AI director, according to a report by news website Electrek on Thursday, as the company looks to expand robotaxi operations in the United States. Kuang was the head of autonomy at General Motors' self-driving unit, Cruise, till last year, according to his LinkedIn profile. His appointment comes at a time when Tesla has seen a series of high-profile departures in the past year, including the resignation of two senior executives on Thursday. Tesla did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment, while Kuang could not be reached. While Kuang's role at Tesla is not clear, Ashok Elluswamy, who was the first engineer hired for Tesla's Autopilot team in 2014, has largely been leading the company's self-driving initiatives. Omead Afshar, a top Tesla executive and longtime Elon Musk confidant, left the electric-vehicle maker along with North America HR Director Jenna Ferrua, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday. Tesla is going through sweeping company-wide restructuring, during which the electric vehicle maker has laid off thousands of employees and shifted its strategic focus toward AI-driven self-driving technology and robotics. The company rolled out a small batch of its Model Y robotaxis in Austin, Texas on June 22, ferrying paying passengers in a small area of the city and CEO Elon Musk has pledged to expand into several U.S. cities by next year. Musk said last month Tesla will deliver its first car autonomously from factory to customer in June. General Motors (GM.N), opens new tab said earlier this year that it had completed the full acquisition of its Cruise business to focus on developing the autonomous technology for personal vehicles, not robotaxis.
CNA
15 hours ago
- Automotive
- CNA
Tesla hires former Cruise executive as AI director, Electrek reports
Tesla has hired former Cruise executive, Henry Kuang, as the automaker's AI director, according to a report by news website Electrek on Thursday, as the company looks to expand robotaxi operations in the United States. Kuang was the head of autonomy at General Motors' self-driving unit, Cruise, till last year, according to his LinkedIn profile. His appointment comes at a time when Tesla has seen a series of high-profile departures in the past year, including the resignation of two senior executives on Thursday. Tesla did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment, while Kuang could not be reached. While Kuang's role at Tesla is not clear, Ashok Elluswamy, who was the first engineer hired for Tesla's Autopilot team in 2014, has largely been leading the company's self-driving initiatives. Omead Afshar, a top Tesla executive and longtime Elon Musk confidant, left the electric-vehicle maker along with North America HR Director Jenna Ferrua, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday. Tesla is going through sweeping company-wide restructuring, during which the electric vehicle maker has laid off thousands of employees and shifted its strategic focus toward AI-driven self-driving technology and robotics. The company rolled out a small batch of its Model Y robotaxis in Austin, Texas on June 22, ferrying paying passengers in a small area of the city and CEO Elon Musk has pledged to expand into several U.S. cities by next year. Musk said last month Tesla will deliver its first car autonomously from factory to customer in June. General Motors said earlier this year that it had completed the full acquisition of its Cruise business to focus on developing the autonomous technology for personal vehicles, not robotaxis.
