Lifestyle
Elon Musk hires Tesla interns who helped solve Model 3 production issues
Mark Comeau and Matthew Lane from the Memorial University of Newfoundland were serving as interns at Tesla when they spotted a point for improvement in the Model 3 production line. Less than two months later, the pair were personally invited by Elon Musk to join the electric car maker.
Matthew and Mark were no strangers to Musk’s projects. The pair had worked on the SpaceX Hyperloop competition in the past, and this year, they are returning to help judge the 2018 competition in July. The engineering students started their Tesla internship in January, where they worked at both the Fremont factory in California and at the Gigafactory in Nevada.
In an interview at CBC Radio’s St. John’s Morning Show, the pair described the series of events that transpired which eventually led to their hiring. According to Matthew, it all started when he and Mark came up with a solution to a gating problem in the Model 3 line.
Engineering students Mark Comeau and Matthew Lane were personally hired by Elon Musk after the pair solved a problem in the Model 3’s production line. [Credit: Paula Gale/CBC]
“Essentially, it was a gating problem with the Model 3 production ramp. What had happened was we saw an opportunity to solve the problem. We came up with our own idea, and we actually sort of crashed the meeting with Elon himself and presented the idea. And, after speaking with him and one of his VPs, Doug Field, they essentially said ‘This is a good idea, but here’s the problem we are facing right now, so you guys go talk with us.’ And it snowballed from there,” he said.
Much to the pair’s surprise, Musk opted to follow through on their suggestions. Matthew and Mark worked on their solution to the Model 3 line’s gating problem, and not long after bringing things online, they were eventually called to the Gigafactory to address a new set of challenges.
“So about a month and a half after that, we worked on this issue, brought things online. And then, literally at 10 a.m. Monday morning, the week after we’re finished, we received a message saying ‘Hey, head to Nevada to the Gigafactory.’ And, a five-hour car drive later, we arrived in Nevada, with a whole new situation and a whole new set of problems to address,” Mark said.
It was after they were able to address the issues in Gigafactory 1 that Musk suggested that they stay with the company. Mark elaborated on their encounter with Elon Musk at the Nevada factory.
“Elon is the type of CEO that is actually hands-on in the factory floor. He’s not one of those that sits on the ivory tower and just gets reports. He’s actually on the line, seeing the issues himself in person, and seeing what contributions people are making, and what the issues are. He doesn’t like to hear things second-hand. He likes everything first-hand knowledge.
“So this issue had caused some delays with the production, so of course it was one thing that was always on his radar, and once we had figured it out and got it up and running reliably, he came by, and he had us walk through it. It’s probably one of the most unnerving experiences ever, because he’s the CEO of the company and here we are, just two interns. And, he’s basically like ‘Yep, you’ve got to stay.’”
The Tesla Model 3 gets assembled. [Credit: Tesla]
Mark is now hired as a special projects engineer for Tesla. Matthew will be returning to school for the summer semester, but he’ll be back at the electric car maker for the fall. The pair sees themselves as firefighters, deployed to areas in the company where there are issues that await solutions.
Ultimately, the story of how Mark Comeau and Matthew Lane got personally hired by Elon Musk is a testament to Tesla’s practice of allowing communication to travel through the shortest path necessary. The pair, after all, were engineering interns, and in any other company setting, it would have taken a lot of red tape before the pair would have been able to propose their solution to the CEO. This particular culture was highlighted by Musk in a leaked email last month, when he specifically stated that communication through “chain of command” should never be done.
“Communication should travel via the shortest path necessary to get the job done, not through the ‘chain of command.’ A major source of issues is poor communication between depts. The way to solve this is allow free flow of information between all levels. If, in order to get something done between depts, an individual contributor has to talk to their manager, who talks to a director, who talks to a VP, who talks to another VP, who talks to a director, who talks to a manager, who talks to someone doing the actual work, then super dumb things will happen. It must be ok for people to talk directly and just make the right thing happen,” Musk wrote.
Lifestyle
Tesla Semi futuristic sci-fi acceleration sound will never get old
Videos that capture the Semi moving at speed are most notable due to their sheer cool factor.
The Tesla Semi is not yet in mass production, but the company has accumulated over 7.9 million miles across its test fleet. With Tesla using the Semi for its operations, it is no surprise that sightings of the Class 8 all-electric truck have been abounding.
These sightings from Tesla enthusiasts vary, but those that capture the the Class 8 all-electric truck moving at speed are most notable, possibly due to their sheer cool factor.
Tesla Semi’s Roar
There is something that just stands out with the Semi, particularly on the road. While the Semi does not have the Cybertruck’s brutalist, angular design, it is still very striking because it’s such a massive machine that moves far too quietly for its size. This is, of course, one of the reasons why the vehicle also becomes extra noteworthy when it fires up its electric motors and accelerates.
Take this video from Tesla Owners Silicon Valley, for example, which shows the all-electric hauler accelerating while pulling what appears to be a full load. In these situations, the Tesla Semi actually becomes audible, but unlike traditional diesel-powered truck, the Class 8 all-electric truck “roars” with its own, unique futuristic, sci-fi sound. In such situations, one could feel the Semi’s raw power, which comes from its three independent motors on its rear axles.
Tesla Semi Ramp
Tesla has been promoting the Semi quite a bit as of late, and recent reports have suggested that the company is putting in a lot of effort to prepare the vehicle for its production in Nevada. Tesla’s Careers website has gone live with over 80 Semi-related job openings recently as well, and a recent report has suggested that Tesla has ramped the Semi’s factory workers in Nevada to over 1,000 employees.
The company has even shared an update video of the Semi factory’s progress near Giga Nevada, as well as the design of the vehicle’s new logo. The Semi’s updated logo is quite interesting as it features elements from the Tesla Model 3’s first logo, which was unveiled way back in 2016.
Lifestyle
Elon Musk jokes he will join Mr Beast’s “100 Men vs 1 Gorilla” challenge
It’s a good sign, if any, that the overworked Musk is becoming a bit more lighthearted again.
Following the first quarter Tesla earnings call, CEO Elon Musk seems to have become a bit more relaxed—relaxed enough to joke about fighting a gorilla with 99 other people, at least.
It’s a good sign, if any, that the overworked Musk is becoming a bit more lighthearted again and not too busy picking fights with politicians on social media.
The Viral 100 Men vs 1 Gorilla Challenge
Over the weekend, a post on social media platform X went viral. The post itself was quite simple, with user @DreamChasnMike stating that he thinks 100 men could beat one gorilla. “Everybody just gotta be dedicated to the sh*t,” the X user joked. The post exploded on the platform, garnering 284 million impressions as of writing.
The silly question also triggered a massive debate about whether 100 men would really stand a chance against a literal gorilla. Some users even lamented that the premise was a sign of male hubris. Nevertheless, the question proved to be a fun topic on X, with some more dedicated users even posting simulated videos of what the “100 Men vs 1 Gorilla Challenge” could look like.
Mr. Beast and Elon Musk Join In
The premise is quite similar to other viral videos from noted YouTube creator Mr. Beast, so it was no surprise that edited images of Mr. Beast YouTube thumbnails with “100 Men vs a Gorilla” also started spreading on the social media platform. Mr. Beast, who tends to be game to such silly ideas, actually reposted the edited image, joking “Need 100 men to test this, any volunteers?”
In true Elon Musk fashion, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO noted that he would join the challenge. “Sure, what’s the worst that could happen” Musk wrote in his post on X. Musk’s reply triggered quite a few laughs on X, with some stating that the world probably still needs the CEO.
While silly, Musk’s comment and his recent, more frequent posts about his companies’ products like Starlink and Grok have been received well by his supporters. Over the past months, after all, Musk has been very political and quite confrontational on social media. With Musk soon taking a step back from the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) daily operations, however, it seems like X will soon get a more tempered and lighthearted Elon Musk once more.
Lifestyle
Possible first glimpse of Tesla “Model 2” affordable car in Fremont Factory
The models that Tesla will release in the coming months will resemble the company’s current lineup.
During the Q1 earnings call, Tesla VP of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy set expectations on the design of the affordable models that the company is expected to launch this 2025. As per the Tesla executive, the models that Tesla will release in the coming months will resemble the company’s current lineup.
Drone footage from the Fremont Factory earlier this month might have provided the EV community its first potential glimpse at Tesla’s affordable cars–fondly dubbed by EV fans and analysts as the “Model 2” or even “Model Q”–or at least their components and overall shape.
The Sighting
Tesla watcher and drone operator Met God in Wilderness, who has been posting aerial videos of the Fremont Factory for years now, recently shared some footage from his drone flyovers this month. While the Fremont Factory was abuzz with activity as usual, a couple of rather strange vehicles were quickly spotted by EV watchers on social media.
During the drone operator’s flyover on the 17th, for example, an unfinished vehicle could be seen parked next to what appeared to be fully-built Model S and Model Y units. What was especially interesting was the vehicle’s roof, which seemed to be slightly narrower than the Model Ys around it. Based on the video, at least, the vehicle seemed to be shaped like a crossover as well.
Footage from the 24th of April also proved quite interesting, with the drone operator capturing footage of another cryptic vehicle. Unlike the mysterious, unfinished, crossover-esque car spotted on the 17th, this particular unit seemed to have a more sloping rear, at least based on the shape of its covering.
What Lars Moravy Said
In Tesla’s Q1 2025 Update Letter, Tesla noted that “plans for new vehicles, including more affordable models, remain on track for start of production in the first half of 2025.” Tesla also noted that the new vehicles will utilize aspects of its next generation and its current platforms. They will also be produced on the same manufacturing lines as its present vehicle lineup, likely the Model Y and Model 3.
During the earnings call itself, Moravy specifically stated that the new models that would come out in the next months would resemble the company’s current vehicles. They will, however, be affordable. “Models that come out in next months will be built on our lines and will resemble, in form and shape, the cars we currently make. And the key is that they’ll be affordable, and you’ll be able to buy one,” Moravy stated.
Watch the drone operator’s footage from April 17 below.
The drone operator’s footage from April 24 can be viewed below.
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