Tesla FSD Team Gets A Boost As Waymo Engineering Manager Jumps Ships To Join Elon Musk-Led EV Maker
Portfolio Pulse from Anan Ashraf
Charles Ruizhongtai Qi, a former Waymo staff research scientist and tech lead manager, has announced his move to Tesla Inc to work on its full self-driving software. Qi, who has been with Waymo since October 2019, expressed his continued interest in Tesla and its approach to autonomous driving. He praised Waymo for its achievements in scaling robotaxi services but decided to join Tesla to contribute to its Autopilot team. Meanwhile, Waymo's rival, Cruise, faces operational suspension in the U.S. after a robotaxi accident.
March 25, 2024 | 5:09 am
News sentiment analysis
Sort by:
Descending
POSITIVE IMPACT
Charles Qi's move to Tesla's Autopilot team could enhance the company's capabilities in full self-driving software, potentially accelerating its development and deployment.
Qi's expertise in autonomous driving, gained from his tenure at Waymo, could provide Tesla with valuable insights and skills, likely benefiting its full self-driving software development. His decision to join Tesla highlights the company's appeal to top talent in the autonomous driving sector, which could positively impact investor sentiment and the company's position in the market.
CONFIDENCE 80
IMPORTANCE 75
RELEVANCE 80
NEGATIVE IMPACT
Qi's departure from Waymo, an Alphabet Inc unit, could represent a loss of talent and expertise in autonomous driving technology, potentially impacting its progress in the short term.
Qi's move from Waymo to Tesla signifies a loss of a key figure in Waymo's autonomous driving team. Given his role and experience, his departure could slow down Waymo's progress in autonomous driving technology and robotaxi service expansion, at least in the short term. This could affect investor perception of Alphabet's competitiveness in the autonomous driving space.
CONFIDENCE 75
IMPORTANCE 60
RELEVANCE 70