Our Bureau
Austin, TX
Ashok Elluswamy, an Indian-origin engineer, has played a pivotal role in developing Tesla’s Autopilot technology. He was the first engineer hired for Tesla’s Autopilot team, and his contributions have been praised by Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Ashok Elluswamy is a robotics engineer with extensive experience in computer vision, perception, and planning and control. He completed his Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and Communication from the College of Engineering, Guindy in Chennai, India, and later earned a Master of Science in Robotic Systems Development from Carnegie Mellon University.
Before joining Tesla, he worked as a Software Engineer at WABCO Vehicle Control Systems and as a research intern at the Volkswagen Electronic Research Lab.
Ashok joined Tesla in June 2014 and quickly advanced to a senior software engineer position within 2.5 years. In May 2019, he was promoted to the role of Director of Tesla Autopilot Software, a position he holds to this day.
His expertise has been crucial in shaping Tesla’s groundbreaking work in autonomous driving technology.
Elon Musk recently expressed his gratitude to Ashok Elluswamy, acknowledging him as the first person to join the Tesla Autopilot team. Musk credited Ashok and the entire AI/Autopilot team for their work, emphasizing that without them, Tesla would merely be another car company seeking an autonomous supplier that doesn’t exist.
Ashok Elluswamy’s journey exemplifies the impact of talented engineers in shaping the future of automotive technology.
