Tesla engineer Siddhant Awasthi, who led the Cybertruck programme, leaves the company amid safety recalls and leadership changes (Photo: Social Media)
Siddhant Awasthi's is engineering work has been pivotal to some of Tesla's most defining projects. An Indian born engineer who joined Tesla as an intern, in under a decade he rose to lead the Cybertruck programme one of the company's boldest and most polarizing ventures.
This week, Awasthi announced his departure after eight years calling it a difficult decision. His exit comes at a turbulent time for Tesla with recalls and sliding profits continuing to test its stability.
Awasthi's career path reflects Tesla's breakneck growth and non-stop innovation. He helped scale the Model 3 contributed to operations at Giga Shanghai and helped design new electronics systems before taking over the Cybertruck with him at the helm, the futuristic pickup went from prototype to mass production.
In July, he was also handed responsibility for the Model 3 programme quite a journey for someone under 30.
Awasthi leaves as Tesla is under increasing scrutiny over safety recalls involving the Cybertruck. In October, it pulled back more than 63,000 vehicles in the US because their headlights were too bright.
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The NHTSA ordered another recall that involved more than 46,000 Cybertrucks because the windshield panel might detach while driving. The Cybertruck, once hailed as Tesla's most advanced vehicle, is now a symbol of both engineering ambition and operational strain.
Tesla's latest quarterly results paint a complicated picture. The car manufacturer posted a 37% year-on-year decline in profit, with earnings falling to $1.4 billion despite a revenue uptick.
According to analysts, the boost came from customers racing to use a $7,500 EV tax credit ahead of its expiration in October. Though short-term optimism has kept investors buoyant, there are signs future quarters could be more sluggish.
Even as Tesla struggles with recalls and jockeying of top leadership, Elon Musk secured a major vote of confidence. More than 75% of investors approved his $1 trillion compensation package which ties his pay to long-term performance milestones. The overwhelming support speaks to investor belief in Tesla's innovation strategy, even amid operational turbulence.
On the Tesla years, Awasthi gave credit to his team for bringing audacious ideas into material reality. But his going marks the end of an era for this young, bright-eyed engineer who guided Tesla through the ups and downs in the rapidly changing landscape.
His next move could either be toward another technological frontier or a new entrepreneurial endeavor, regardless, the legacy that Awasthi has left behind echoes the spirit that defines Tesla itself relentless, risky and revolutionary.
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Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available reports and statements. Facts are verified from credible news and company sources.
