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Tesla design head reflects on over 16 years with the company
Designing for the future with Tesla’s Franz von Holzhausen.
Tesla’s Senior Design Executive Franz von Holzhausen was interviewed in the 500th episode of the Ride the Lightning podcast over the weekend, talking about topics from the new Model Y Performance to Optimus, and even sharing what has kept him coming back for over 16 years.
In the interview, host Ryan McCaffrey asks von Holzhausen a handful of questions about the executive’s design decisions, what can be expected on upcoming releases, and his own reaction to seeing increasing numbers of Tesla vehicles on the road. When asked about what has kept him at Tesla for so long, however, the design lead points to the company’s mission, noting that his young self would be “shocked” if he saw what he was working on today and how much he has learned.
“The thing that keeps me coming here is the potential for the future and what we’re able to create, and how we’re able to… in a way, we’ve proven that we can steer the future a little bit,” von Holzhausen says.
When asked if it was common for designers to stay at one company for so long, he also says that it “sure doesn’t seem like it,” pointing out that he had previously been on a roughly-four-year rotation prior to starting with Tesla, and adding that he thought he would stay on that path. The design head’s past employers were Mazda, General Motors (GM), and Volkswagen.
He also explains that some of the exciting projects he’s been able to work on, including vehicles, autonomous robotaxis, and humanoid robots, to name a few, are a major part of what keeps him there, in addition to Tesla’s original mission.
“I wouldn’t be here if we didn’t have the mission,” von Holzhausen says of the company’s mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.
“In the early days, the mission was the same, and we didn’t know if we could make an impact. The mission is something that you aim for, right? And we kept aiming for it and kept getting better, and then we subsequently started to see the impact of what we were producing and what we were creating having an impact that was steering, ultimately steering the rest of the world, in this direction.
“And once you realize the impact, you’re like ‘Wow, we can really steer the future for the better.’ And now, we like owe it to ourselves and to everybody and the rest of the world to continue on that path.”
While McCaffrey suggests that the designer might be the second-longest-tenured employee besides the CEO, von Holzhausen says there actually at least “a handful of other people” who have been with the company for longer. However, he says they would also likely agree about how quickly the time has gone to bring the automaker to this point.
The conversation spans over an hour long, and von Holzhausen goes on to talk about how seeing his own vehicles on the road makes him continually self-critique his work as he aims to make things better and develop the next thing. He also talks about the importance of making great products, and how he and Tesla expect that approach to win customers over, no matter what kind of fear, uncertainty and doubt may be floating around about the company.
Listen to the 500th episode of McCaffrey’s Ride the Lightning podcast below, featuring Tesla’s Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen for his third appearance on the show. You can also see a photo of the two below, as shared in a post on X from McCaffrey.
Credit: Ryan McCaffrey | X
READ MORE ON TESLA’S FRANZ VON HOLZHAUSEN: Tesla redesigned this crucial piece of hardware on the new Model Y
In the podcast, von Holzhausen also talks about speculation that the company’s Glacier Blue could eventually make it to the U.S., as well as if Tesla plans to discontinue Midnight Cherry Red—though he says he can’t comment directly on either.
The executive’s appearance on the podcast also comes after McCaffrey last week interviewed Tesla’s Vice President of Vehicle Engineering, Lars Moravy. It also comes as the latest of appearances from both executives, who were last month featured in a video from Tesla about the new Model Y, along with talking to Jay Leno about the refreshed vehicle.
The two executives also confirmed in the former video that Tesla will indeed be launching a Model Y Performance later this year, along with a seven-seat configuration.
In December, von Holzhausen also shared some details about the design for the recently unveiled Cybercab, noting in another video with Pedersen Auto Museum that the gold color is a shout-out to New York City’s yellow taxi cabs.
Tesla makes a decision on the future of its flagship Model S and Model X
The Tesla Semi was spotted mounted with ground truth validation equipment as the company nears its looming launch. The Semi is Tesla’s Class 8 all-electric truck, and has been utilized in its earlier stages by many companies like PepsiCo. and Frito-Lay, who have been using it in a pilot program.
The Semi was spotted in Sunnyvale, California, and sports a typical ground truth validation unit that Tesla routinely uses on its vehicles. Ground truth validation is essentially the process of training supervised algorithms to ensure they can perform reliably. Tesla typically performs this on vehicles that are being released soon:
Spotted the new semi adorned with ground truthing equipment. Haven’t seen anyone post this so figured I’d share.
The future is autonomous!!@SawyerMerritt @wholemars pic.twitter.com/qkPDHPUQZ6
— Danny (@dannywinner1) June 21, 2026
The Semi being spotted with this type of validation rig is important because it means the company is working on solidifying a Full Self-Driving model for its commercial vehicle offering. This would be a massive development for not only Tesla but also the logistics industry as a whole.
There are strict regulations on driving hours for commercial truck drivers, and autonomy is a way to potentially combat these issues. FSD is already a widely effective way that owners of typical passenger vehicles take stress out of travel. Even launching a semi-autonomous platform for truck drivers to use to increase safety, reduce fatigue, and increase productivity would be a huge development.
Tesla Semi gets strange-but-understandable comparison from Jay Leno
The Semi has already proven to be an ideal solution for companies that use commercial logistics. It has increased efficiency and reduced operating costs for many companies that have been able to use it in pilot programs.
There are expected to be some bumps along the way. Tesla saw some challenges with FSD on the Cybertruck, as it had never had a vehicle with cameras at that height, so some of the features with FSD were not immediately available. Just a week ago, Tesla launched Actually Smart Summon (ASS) for Cybertruck, nearly three years after the vehicle was first delivered to customers.
President Donald Trump unveiled an upgraded Boeing 747-8 at Joint Base Andrews on June 19, 2026, describing the Qatar-gifted aircraft as an interim Air Force One equipped with advanced communications systems, including Starlink, Elon Musk’s SpaceX satellite internet service.
The plane, valued at around $400 million and modified for presidential use, serves as a bridge until the delayed VC-25B replacements arrive. Trump highlighted its luxury features and new technology during remarks to service members.
Trump stated:
“We have communication equipment up there that nobody’s ever seen before. It’s the highest level and, uh, including Starlink. My friend Elon is going to be very happy, but, uh, Starlink and we have, uh, four or five different sets of double and triple communications like people haven’t seen.”
He added:
“And it represents what can happen with hard work, innovation, and aggressive timelines because we did this quickly and yet there’s never been communication like is on this plane.”
🚨 President Trump confirmed today that the new Air Force One is equipped with Starlink:
“We have communication equipment up there that nobody’s ever seen before, it’s the highest level and including Starlink…my friend Elon is going to be very happy.” pic.twitter.com/IhkDmtr5hL
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 20, 2026
The aircraft features a redesigned red, white, and blue livery and has been outfitted with Starlink satellite connectivity alongside other secure systems.
Trump praised the plane’s uniqueness, calling it among the world’s most luxurious. The gift from Qatar and subsequent modifications have drawn attention, with the jet positioned as a solution for presidential travel. It is expected to support operations, including potential ceremonial roles such as Fourth of July flyovers.
The event marked the formal introduction of the converted jet, which will help maintain capabilities while the primary Air Force One fleet undergoes modernization. Defense observers note the inclusion of commercial satellite technology like Starlink as part of efforts to ensure resilient communications, crucial to keep the country running as the President is in the sky.
President Trump’s comments underscored appreciation for rapid upgrades and innovation in equipping the aircraft. The plane remains a U.S. government asset and is slated for eventual transfer related to presidential library purposes after its service.
Tesla just gave what is perhaps its biggest signal yet that the launch of the Cybercab, its autonomous ride-hailing-geared car, is imminent.
The Cybercab has been spotted outside of Gigafactory Texas in massive numbers over the past few days, with hundreds of units being stored on property just days after the vehicle received a Certificate of Conformity from the EPA.
Today, things were a bit different.
Cybercabs spotted on Giga Texas property today had an addition: a Cybercab decal on the side, reminiscent of the “Robotaxi” ones that were placed on Model Ys just as the company launched its ride-sharing platform about a year ago.
Giga Texas drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer noticed the change today:
Tesla Cybercabs are now getting “Cybercab” logos on the side of them!
Tesla did the same with Model Ys that were given “Robotaxi” logos: https://t.co/DanANtw1m7 pic.twitter.com/FqOhH0S9Ks
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 19, 2026
Tesla could be signaling that the Cybercab is preparing to enter the Robotaxi fleet in the coming weeks or months with this move. It seems more symbolic than anything; Tesla is ready to throw Cybercabs in the ride-hailing platform just as it did with Model Ys last year.
The addition of the Certificate of Conformity awarded to the Cybercab is another major factor working to Tesla’s advantage. The company now has permission from the EPA to allow the vehicle to operate on public roads and enter the chain of commerce. It’s officially street legal.
Tesla Cybercab specs revealed: range, curb weight, range ratings, and more
The big question that remains is whether Tesla will be able to operate the car without a safety monitor, especially considering it plans to put the car out there without a steering wheel or pedals. With the Cybercab only having a seating capacity of two, it is hard to believe Tesla will even consider putting a Safety Monitor in the car.
It did recently self-certify as Level 4 and has the ability to operate driverless vehicles in the State of Texas under a law that took effect on May 28. You can read more about that here:
Tesla’s Robotaxi dreams just took a massive step toward reality
We’d imagine Cybercabs will be on the roads as soon as July, but August will likely be a better estimate of when the car will be entered into the Cybercab fleet. It all depends at where Tesla is, as they’ve truly prioritized safety with the rollout of the Robotaxi platform.
Tesla Semi spotted with ground truth validation equipment as launch looms
President Trump touts new Air Force One with Musk technology
