If between apple and tesla really move in the next game, so the latter obviously have the upper hand in terms of talent. Came just a few weeks ago tesla hired legendary chip architects Jim Keller (Jim Keller) as the new "automatic cruise, vice President of hardware engineering", and now there are reports that have been in DEC Alpha, PA Semi and apple as executive Peter banon Peter Bannon () also joined the tesla.
In 2012 from apple before defecting to AMD, kay and banon led apple processor development business, the business is beginning from apple 2008 acquisition of chip manufacturing company PA Semi. They led the development of apple A4 and A5, the company from 2010 to 2012, the most mobile devices have used the two processors. Keller then move to Zen AMD development framework, but the farmers still stay at apple, and developed many processors, until last week with kile to tesla.
There are dozens of patents related to the processor will banon listed as the inventor, but he just tesla recently from apple hired a large number of senior executives. Except that tesla and may continue to poaching the outbreak of war between apple, banon join tesla also raises a very interesting question: tesla ready to design your own processor?
At first glance it seems unlikely, but the auto maker has now hired two of today's most outstanding processor architecture. Their professional knowledge, of course, do contain some useful skills for tesla other departments, but tesla could make full use of their core skills. Came last week after reports of tesla hire kile, Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas (Adam Jonas) in the fourth quarter earnings of tesla mentioned this matter, and ask about tesla CEO, whether it means that the company will develop their own processor. The dialogue is as follows:
Jonas: I'd like to ask two questions. First of all, do you know the legend of the microprocessor industry Jim keller has to join your company, leading tesla automatic cruise hardware engineering? Whether the news is true? In addition, this may mean that tesla to design their own chips?
Tesla CEO Elon Musk (Elon Musk) : I think we both already know kile joined the tesla. We have been hiring talented people. Jim is one of the representatives, but some people more attention by the media. But I think the tesla is attracting talent at incredible speed. As for your second question, I can only say: no comment.
Tesla has confirmed kile to join, but musk declined to comment on chip problem. However, tesla is still likely to final design their own chips. When the tesla Model S introduced in 2012, it was reported that the company USES the nvidia prototypes for the central processor, information, entertainment and navigation provide support and instrumentation components. The two companies last year is still in the Model X continued the relations of cooperation.
Nvidia CEO jen-hsun huang is tesla's fans, he himself has 3 tesla's cars. At an event last year, huang announced to develop a self-driving car called the nvidia DRIVE PX computing platform, and musk also discussed with huang on the activity of driverless cars. Musk was also praised the nvidia technology: "nvidia prototypes performance is very excellent, the driverless cars of the future development is very important." Tesla was confirmed that the prototypes of 3 chips will be used for Model X, but there are rumors, tesla will use the nvidia DRIVE PX platform support automated driving function of tesla motors, but there is no clear evidence to prove it.
Tesla is currently in use Mobileye EyeQ technical support Autopilot visual system. Bloomberg late last year, according to a report according to the musk and famous hacker George Hotz (George Hotz) between the email dialogue can infer that tesla could replace the Mobileye technology -- Hotz are also developing their own self-driving car platform. , after the report from Mobileye's shares fell 7%, a few hours but tesla later to clarify the rumors, and said in a statement: Mobileye technology ", is a global leader in the industry, "and said it would continue to use the company EyeQ visual chip.
But tesla's comments are published before hire and banon kay, a hiring decision will certainly surprised nvidia and Mobileye. Although tesla is unlikely to start the chip manufacturing such expensive projects, but the company does have chips may be independent design, then outsource manufacturing work. Due to the automatic cruise has become a "priority" tesla, if for some reason, the obstacles to computing platform become automated driving is easy to imagine the tesla may independently develop such a platform.
It is worth noting that tesla also for their electric cars produced a number of components, it is estimated that the company is now the vertical integration rate is about 80%. Specific to tesla with apple "poaching war" between, now seems to have a number of apple former senior engineer at tesla's engineering team. In addition to kay and banon, including experts, tesla's former apple alloy materials engineering vice President Charles Herman library (Charles Kuehmann), former apple Mac engineering vice President, tesla engineering vice President Doug Field (Doug Field), former apple alloy engineering director, vice President of tesla product detective richie haili makes (Rich Heley).
