Apple Hires Former Tesla Engineer With Expertise in Prototyping Car Parts

[MacRumors]

As work on its car project progresses, Apple has been snapping up a huge number of employees with expertise in the automotive industry from companies like Tesla, Ford, GM, Volkswagen, Bosch, and more, along with researchers who have expertise in autonomous vehicles and electric car platforms.

Each of these hires gives us a glimpse into the ideas Apple is potentially exploring for its Apple Car, and a set of recent hires suggests Apple is hard at work prototyping car parts designed for the project as research continues.

Former Tesla employee David Masiukiewicz recently left Tesla to join Apple, reports 9to5Mac. At Tesla, Masiukiewicz was a Senior CNC programmer who worked on hardware prototyping, and at Apple, he's listed as a "Senior Model Maker" in the "Product Realization Lab" where Apple prototypes new parts and designs for the Mac, iPhone, and iPad. His job description gives hints as to what he produced for Tesla:

Precision 5 axis CNC machining of powertrain, suspension and chasis components using CATIA v5 and Openmind hyperMILL software. Programming of Mill/Turn equipment using Esprit.

In response to a question about why he left Tesla for Apple on one of his social media sites, Masiukiewicz declined to give details but said "Apple provided me with many compelling reasons to come work for them."

Kevin Harvey, who joined Apple last year after working in the CNC machine shop at Andretti Autosport, is also working in the Product Realization Lab. Neither Harvey nor Masiukiewicz are confirmed to be working on Apple's car project, but given their previous expertise, it's highly likely their roles at Apple are car related rather than focused on prototyping future iPhones and iPads.

Today's hiring news comes following a report earlier this week suggesting former Tesla vice president Chris Porritt has left the company to join Apple, perhaps for a key role developing the Apple Car.

Article Link: Apple Hires Former Tesla Engineer With Expertise in Prototyping Car Parts

 

[Markoth]

Probably Apple's worst-kept secret ever.

 

[CFreymarc]

The best story I heard is that the "motor sounds" coming from the stealth Titian facility in Sunnyvale is not drivetrain tests but sounds of some very experiment CNC and milling machines knocking out experimental car parts. Looks like they hired someone that knows how to put these DXF files in the right arrangements.

 

[Gawjuz]

"Apple provided me with many compelling reasons to come work for them."

"They gave me a buttload of money!"

 

[BeefCake 15]

Let's wait Musk's response of how that engineer was terrible and that's why he went to Apple...

 

[bollman]

Wonder if this will mean CATIA will be available on OSX or if Apple will have to buy Windows boxes, hehe.

 

[Urban Joe]

Sorta looks like Apple is playing Monopoly again. Now with the auto industry. May the best company win.

 

[69Mustang]

"They gave me a buttload of money!"

You beat me to it. The compelling reasons all started with repeating Benjamin Franklin over and over and over.

 

[djcerla]

Looks like "Tesla graveyard" is increasingly listing top Tesla brass

 

[SusanK]

Can't imagine buying a car from Apple. Back to the 2 year trade in cycle of the 1950's.

 

[yaxomoxay]

why CATIA v5 and not CATIA v6?

 

[JPLC]

Tesla seems to be the #1 company with vision and spirit. Why leave that?

 

[FightTheFuture]

teslagraveyardrumors.com

 

[djcerla]

Probably Apple's worst-kept secret ever.

They basically confirmed it. And rightly so, as there's no Osborne effect to worry about and a nascent market to freeze.

 

[doelcm82]

Can't imagine buying a car from Apple. Back to the 2 year trade in cycle of the 1950's.

Because you can't imagine treating an Apple car differently than you currently treat mobile phones.

 

[mspangler49]

Any car with a steering wheel is not innovative. It is just like all the other BILLION cars already in the world.

 

[petelindan]

Doesn't Tesla have any NDA or agreements that restrict past employees from disclosing info to other competitors?

 

[Keirasplace]

Doesn't Tesla have any NDA or agreements that restrict past employees from disclosing info to other competitors?

Expertise is not information under NDA.
BTW, Tesla is really NOT doing something super duper, they're building a car; most of what they do is just like any other cars.

 

[Rogifan]

Any car with a steering wheel is not innovative. It is just like all the other BILLION cars already in the world.

So Tesla's not innovative? Or not everyone desires/buys things based on whether they're innovative or not?

 

[scott911]

"model maker"

That was my great uncle's job at NASA, Apollo era.

If it's anything like it was - it sounds like an awesome job - a melding of on-paper theory with real world know how.

 

[routine_analyst]

Sure looks like a mini.

 

[petelindan]

Expertise is not information under NDA.
BTW, Tesla is really NOT doing something super duper, they're building a car; most of what they do is just like any other cars.

I am talking about the software aspect of Tesla. I am sure this is why Apple hired someone from Tesla. But yeah i get what you mean. He has the expertise to work with Apple to come out with a new OS for sure. Not releasing any anything from Tesla so yeah.

 

[iapplelove]

With billions in the bank I guess you can throw your money anywhere you want and see what sticks.

 

[jonnysods]

Probably Apple's worst-kept secret ever.

Indeed. Getting hard to keep this one a secret!

As bad as the lost/found iPhone 4 prototype!

 

[mspangler49]

So Tesla's not innovative? Or not everyone desires/buys things based on whether they're innovative or not?

They are innovative to some extent. What are they doing that is so different from what some other company is doing?