Mengyang Zhou

Just thought I would take some time to reflect on my experience working at Tesla and thoughts for it going forward. I joined Tesla back in early 2010 following 9 years contracting in the BIW Engineering Department at Honda in Marysville Ohio. The downside of contracting for so long is that there is little room for growth, as a “Catia Jockey” the work you are doing on day 3000 is pretty similar to what you were doing on day one. It never bothered me until it did. I was attracted to the job at Tesla due to the mission, the ambition and the CA location (at that time in Hawthorne, LA). The electric performance vehicle concept was exciting compared to the quite dreadful seemingly unserious efforts that had come before. The Roadster showed what was possible, but I considered taking that to a mainstream Executive Sedan level was a big step up in expectations. I honestly thought that the project would last 2 years or so, then the company would just fold, like so many others did, due to simple cash starvation. Meanwhile it would be a great learning experience and a chance to explore the West Coast. I actually thought my interview went dreadfully and I came away from it incredibly disappointed with myself. Anyways, perhaps due to pre-Christmas generosity, I did get the job. After driving across country (a Roadtrip I heartily people do at least once..) I started at Tesla in February. When I arrived, the Model S was scheduled to launch late that year or early the next, so I was expecting to be mainly part of the finish up and launch crew. I was quite shocked to discover how little of the actual design was in place and the incredible amount to be done. Clearly a launch 12 months out was not going to happen… One other thing I soon realized was how much the electric drivetrain could influence and liberate the overall architecture of a vehicle when it is designed from scratch. As a Body Engineer I was somewhat of the opinion that I didn’t care if the vehicle was powered by gas, electric or potatoes.. it would make little difference. That was quite wrong.. The Body Team then was very small (still is really…), but the other teams were even smaller. I was working on the Dash/Cowl and Front End Structure (with Alexi handling the related Castings and Extrusions at the time), but you can’t develop a structure without a package to go around. Since there was an extreme lack of Engineers to cover the work from other teams, I along with a few others (mainly some great contractors..) developed the entire early front end content. All the Frunk and underhood trim / Leafscreen content, early (but not final) Wiper and Front End Module packages. Plus, randomly the Rear Fascia (can’t remember why..). There is more of my personal design content in the the original Model S vehicle than any other vehicle I have ever worked on. It was not perfect, for sure, but I remain incredibly proud of what we all achieved. (Time for a break, to be continued…)

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News about ADS - Jun 17, 2024: 😢 1) Waymo driverless vehicle contacts with a tele pole in an alley near 7th Avenue and Roosevelt Street 8 mph when pulling over in AZ on May 21, 2024 -> SW recall on Jun 12, 2024 https://lnkd.in/g9xQScah https://lnkd.in/gC_MYrE2 https://lnkd.in/g8zAxcQZ Root cause: "SW map" seems not a real root cause-> possible perception issue 2) Real robot driving a car - robot driver Misachi 😁 https://lnkd.in/ggpB_u3G 3) "NVIDIA Research Wins CVPR Autonomous Grand Challenge for End-to-End Driving" 👍 https://lnkd.in/ginE6CWF 4) Tier IV & Suzuki partner up for ADS 👍 https://lnkd.in/gTzvTrEJ 5) A sad story - but what happens to the driver who used the phone - too unresponsible 😔 - Tesla with FSD engaged from AP News https://lnkd.in/gCS9eXuZ

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ChargerHelp! just published a study where they found that EV charging station uptime across the US is sitting at around 71%. (Gasp!) Or, to frame another way, imagine pulling into a gas station and not being able to get fuel 1 out of every 4 visits. Pretty frustrating, right? This is a massive hurdle to getting broader EV adoption and the reason why we've developed the EVSE Technician certification program (in partnership with ABB, ChargerHelp!, ChargePoint, Rivian, Tesla and other segment leaders). Not only is it helping improve charger reliability and public adoption of EVs, but this critical need for skilled labor is creating of *thousands of well paying jobs*, with technicians ** "earn[ing] $20 to $60 an hour, concentrated in the $35 to $40 range." ** Read more about it in the article below with SMS Group President Frank Menchaca and if you're looking (for you or your teams) to get trained and certified in EV Charging Station repair -- pop me a DM or head over to this page and drop your details👇 👇 https://lnkd.in/ejGdE-Px #ev #electricvehicle #evse #evcharging

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The Vital Role of Systems Engineering in Automotive Innovation: Insights from SAE International Edge Report 2024. During a recent INCOSE seminar at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, I won a lucky dip and received the SAE International Edge Research Report from the editor of the report- Anne O'Neil. 'The State of Systems Engineering Adoption in the Automotive Industry,'  provided me with valuable insights into the current state of systems engineering in the automotive industry. The following are my takeaways from reading the report: The Growing Need for Systems Engineering- SE is increasingly essential for integrating software, hardware, and human factors in vehicle development. Holistic Approach: SE integrates all aspects of vehicle development. Key Architectural Characteristics: Ensures system performance through disciplined design. Systemic Adoption: Requires integration across business, governance, and supply chain levels. As vehicle systems become more complex and regulations grow stricter, SE provides the necessary framework for seamless integration. The report also highlights the uncertainty in predicting regulatory changes. Key Challenges and Cultural Shifts- Despite the clear benefits, adopting SE practices presents significant challenges, particularly in traditional automotive organizations. Cultural Resistance: Shifting from traditional practices to SE can be challenging. Skunk Works Teams: Often fail to create lasting change when reintegrated into the broader organization. C-Suite Support: Strong leadership and alignment with corporate goals are essential for SE culture adoption. Balancing Hardware and Software: Neither hardware nor software should dominate the design process. The report emphasizes that overcoming these challenges requires robust organizational support from the top down. The Future of SE in Automotive- The future of automotive innovation relies on fully embracing SE practices. Digital Tools: Leveraging modeling and simulation tools for agility and ongoing validation. Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Increasingly important as vehicles become more interconnected. Iterative Development: Moving from traditional waterfall models to more agile approaches. Adopting flexible, iterative SE practices is vital to keep pace with the rapid changes in vehicle development.

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A bit of observations from myself: 1. #Leadership lack of #Vision and #Strategy in Legacy Auto OEMs Many traditional automakers lack a clear vision for building a more sustainable future to put the company into long-term success. They remain tied to outdated businessmodels that prioritize short-term gains (balance sheets) to satisfy #SHAREholders and executive compensation, rather than driving long-term growth that benefits all #STAKEholders. The focus on immediate returns and the entrenched mega-bureaucracy hinders innovation and adaptation to future trends. This is evident among the three major OEMs in the US, most in Europe, and state-owned OEMs in China. 2. Lack of #Government Guidance and Long-Term Vision Governments, particularly in the US and EU, have also failed to provide a strategic vision for the automotive industry's future. Similar to Point 1, the short-term focus of elected governments—often influenced by legacy, monopolized mega-companies that seek easy profits—has prevented the development of long-term strategies for #innovation and #sustainability. 3. The Need for an #Internet #Mindset and #Innovative Technology-Driven Approach In contrast, companies like #Tesla, #BYD, #LiAuto have adopted an "internet mindset" and technology-driven approaches to disrupt the EV space. These companies are delivering what can be described as a "降维打击" or “Crushing blow from a higher level”—leveraging superior technology (e.g., #SDV #softwaredefinedvehicle )and #businessmodels (e.g., #VerticalIntegration ) that leave traditional automakers like Ford and GM struggling to keep up. For these legacy giants to compete, they must fundamentally change their mindset. 4. The Burden of Mega-#Bureaucracy Mega-bureaucracies—characterized by slow decision-making, rigid procedures, and resistance to new #ideas—are a significant obstacle to innovation. This applies not only to legacy automakers but also to tech giants like #Meta and #Microsoft, who often struggle to innovate as quickly as smaller, more agile startups. While Microsoft has successfully reinvented itself in certain areas (e.g., #Azure and #OpenAI investments), they still move slower compared to younger companies like Bytedance and OpenAI in internet world or Tesla, BYD, #CATL in automotive world, which continue to operate with a startup/#agile mentality, driving rapid #innovation and #disruption. #Leadership #Vision #Strategy #EV #Electrifiation

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