From Business Insider:
Former Uber engineer slammed Tesla in texts to Travis Kalanick: 'We've got to start calling Elon on his s---'
- Waymo, Google's sister company focused on self-driving-car technology, claims in a lawsuit that Uber stole intellectual property and trade secrets when it acquired a startup founded by Anthony Levandowski.
- Levandowski was the head of Waymo's self-driving-tech team before joining Uber.
- Levandowski slammed Tesla's approach to self-driving tech in text messages to Travis Kalanick, Uber's cofounder and former CEO. The texts were made public via a court filing.
A former Uber engineer slammed Tesla CEO Elon Musk in texts to Travis Kalanick, Uber's cofounder and former CEO, a court filing shows.I'm waiting for Mr. Musk to drop an "Anthony who?" on Levandowski.
The engineer, Anthony Levandowski, is at the heart of a lawsuit filed in February by Waymo, Google's sister company focusing on self-driving-car technology. The suit claims that Levandowski, the former head of Waymo, stole intellectual property and trade secrets and used them for Uber's autonomous-vehicle efforts.
Levandowski joined Uber in August 2016 when the company acquired his self-driving-truck startup, Otto. Uber fired Levandowski in May over his refusal to cooperate in the legal case.
A court filing, first reported by IEEE Spectrum's Mark Harris on Tuesday, shows text exchanges between Levandowski and Kalanick while the two were planning the Otto acquisition.
An interesting nugget buried in the texts is a shot Levandowski took at Musk's approach to self-driving-car technology.
"We've got to start calling Elon on his s---," Levandowski wrote in a text in September. "I'm not on social media but let's start 'faketesla' and start give physics lessons about stupid s--- Elon says."
Tesla did not immediately return Business Insider's request for comment.
Levandowski's example of "stupid s--- Elon says" was the Tesla CEO's reasoning behind his decision not to use lidar, a notoriously expensive sensor that uses lasers to help self-driving cars detect obstacles.
Musk has said Tesla does not use lidar for its Autopilot technology because lidar cannot penetrate rain, fog, dust, or snow. Instead, Tesla cars are equipped with a radar sensor, which uses radio waves....MORE
The IEEE Spectrum piece has more detail:
....Levandowski and Kalanick’s Relationship
The two men quickly formed a strong bond, but there are challenges—and advantages—when your new best friend is the CEO of the world’s largest start-up.
3/29/2016 Levandowski: I am at the secret side door, no rush
7/23/2016 Kalanick: You hungry? .. Can get some Uber Eats steak and eggs.
At these meetings, often late at night, Levandowski would explain the mysteries of self-driving technology to the Uber founder.
4/8/2016 Kalanick: Where you teach me in depth about an autonomy topic
4/8/2016 Levandowski: Yes, we should of done it. We did a bit on lasers before but need to go deep on all the topics.
In return, Kalanick dispensed management advice, such as this just before the Otto acquisition was announced:
8/12/2016 Kalanick: Three principles
8/12/2016 Kalanick: 1) don’t tell anyone about the deal before it happens, ESPECIALLY someone you're about to fire 2) firing fast is a cultural imperative you don't want to break except in the most extreme situations 3) get creative
Both men shared the same ambition:
9/19/2016 Levandowski: We’re going to take over the world
9/19/2016 Levandowski: One robot at a time
10/7/2016 Kalanick: Down to hang this eve and mastermind some shit...MORE
