Many of Tesla’s Chinese competitors have already come to the realization that it’s hard to attract new buyers to electric cars based on price and features alone, and that’s why they need to improve their software. Elon Musk’s company is in a tough spot in this regard, as its key executive in the field is leaving.
Image Source: Tesla
As Bloomberg reported this week, David Lau, Tesla’s vice president of software since 2017, is leaving the company. In total, he spent about 12 years at Tesla, starting as a senior firmware development manager. By 2014, he had become director of firmware development and systems integration, and three years later he was appointed vice president of software.
David Lau has extensive experience leading the development of a wide range of software used by Tesla, from control software for electronic driver assistants to cloud systems that collect and process data from customer cars. His subordinates were also responsible for creating the interface for the on-board computer, as well as for the service software for the company’s service stations. The reasons for Lau’s departure from Tesla are not specified, but it is obvious that if he wants to continue his career in this area, there will be many who want to get such a valuable leader, especially in China.