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Tesla's German Automation Expert Klaus Grohmann Ousted After Clash With CEO Musk (reuters.com)
According to Reuters, "Tesla executive Klaus Grohmann was ousted last month after a clash with CEO Elon Musk over the strategy of Grohmann's firm, which Tesla had acquired in November." Grohmann Engineer's automation and engineering expertise is being relied upon by Tesla to help it increase production to 500,000 cars per year by 2018. From the report: Tesla planned to keep Grohmann on, and Grohmann wanted to stay, but the clash with Musk over how to treat existing clients resulted in his departure, the source said. Grohmann disagreed with Musk's demands to focus management attention on Tesla projects to the detriment of Grohmann Engineering's legacy clients, which included Tesla's direct German-based rivals Daimler and BMW, two sources familiar with the matter said. "I definitely did not depart because I had lost interest in working," Grohmann said, without elaborating. A Tesla spokesman, asked about Grohmann's departure, praised him for building an "incredible company" and said: "Part of Mr Grohmann's decision to work with Tesla was to prepare for his retirement and leave the company in capable hands for the future. Given the change in focus to Tesla projects, we mutually decided that it was the right time for the next generation of management to lead."
I worked on a major automation project at Tesla as an automation engineer. Tesla offered me a permanent job, but I wouldn't take it.
Tesla management treats automation engineers as if they are replaceable line workers. They approach problems by trying to buy a quick solution instead of planning for the long term. They spend a lot of money trying to look good (nice lights, painted floor, etc) because they are often giving tours by investment bankers, but they don't have enough experience building cars to produce the product it at scale. I've been in many auto plants and Tesla was just absurd. Tesla's relationships and treatment of automation contractors is bad, which certainly contributes to Tesla's difficulty building cars. Tesla may struggle to build cars, but I have to admit, they have a really impressive stock price.
TLDR; I would much rather work for Toyota than Tesla. Toyota knows how to build cars, and they know how to maintain good relationships with their workers.