Elon Musk talks about his successor in a WSJ interview
WSJ
In an illuminating hour-long interview on the Wall Street Journal CEO Council, Elon Musk provided a rare window into his thoughts on the intricate issue of succession. He framed the complexity of this challenge in a historical context, highlighting that it is an age-old problem that has troubled not just corporations but also nations, kings, prime ministers, and presidents throughout the annals of history.
Identifying Potential Successors
Musk disclosed that he has identified potential successors he believes could ably lead after his tenure. He has brought these individuals to the board's attention, providing them with his personal recommendations. However, he clearly stated that the ultimate decision rests in the hands of the board. Musk noted, "They may choose to go a different direction, but they are aware of who my recommendation is."
An intriguing point of discussion during the interview revolved around the stewardship of the companies Musk has built. He expressed a deep sense of responsibility, remarking, "The companies that I have created and are creating collectively possess immense capability, and so the stewardship of them is incredibly important." These comments underscored the vast influence these companies wield over society and civilization.
The Challenge of Stewardship and Control
Interestingly, Musk confessed his openness to external suggestions about control of the companies, a rarity for the famously confident CEO. He conceded, "The control question is a much tougher question, and something that I'm wrestling with, and I'm frankly open to ideas." This statement signified an unusual invitation for fresh insights into managing the future stewardship of his groundbreaking enterprises.
Furthermore, Musk delved into his aspirations for his companies, with a special focus on Tesla, to contribute positively to humanity. One idea he shared was establishing an educational institution wielding most of his voting rights. Yet, he stressed that automatic inheritance of control by his children was not on the cards, especially if they lacked interest or the ability to handle the companies effectively.
Tesla's Contributions to Sustainable Energy
Transitioning to the accomplishments of Tesla, Musk painted a vivid picture of the company's significant role in fast-tracking the advent of sustainable energy. He asserted, "The original goal of Tesla was to accelerate the advent of sustainable energy, which actually I think we've done that to a significant degree." In addition, he shared his gratification that other industry leaders have recognized Tesla's pioneering role in this revolution.
On the topic of Tesla's pursuit of self-driving technology, Musk exhibited optimism about achieving substantial progress within the year. He also predicted this technological milestone would usher in a substantial positive cash flow for the company.
Musk's wide-ranging discussion offered insightful reflections on the critical issue of succession planning and the enduring influence of Tesla. His open invitation for external ideas on company stewardship, coupled with his firm commitment to ensuring Tesla's mission continuity, underscore his acknowledgment of the gravity of his leadership role and his earnest dedication to securing his companies' long-lasting beneficial impact on humanity. This interview promises to ignite further dialogue about the future trajectory of Tesla and the broader implications of succession planning in innovative companies.
Elon Musk Interviewed on the WSJ
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Tesla Investor Relations has officially confirmed that they will conduct the Robotaxi unveiling event on October 10th in Los Angeles. Event sign-up will be done using a random drawing for Tesla shareholders. The final date for entries is a week from today, on September 17th at midnight, and the selected shareholders will be announced the week of September 23rd.
Sign Up
You’ll need to own Tesla stock ($TSLA) to participate and will be required to verify your shareholder status on the Investor Relations site. The random drawing provides a better opportunity for those who hold lots of Tesla shares, as they’ll have a higher number of entries. You get one entry per confirmed share held.
At the moment, there are no details on the timing of the event, nor anything about +1 attendees. However, one item of note is that event draw winners cannot transfer their tickets to another party – which means if you get a ticket, it's for you and nobody else.
If you’re located in the United States, you can use ‘Say’ – Tesla’s Investor Relations partner – to automatically verify your shareholder status. For those outside of the United States, unless you’re trading with an American bank, you will need to provide an updated statement showing shareholder status for September 2024. Say takes about 3-5 business days to verify statements, so be sure to sign up early.
Robotaxi Event
The Robotaxi event will take place at the Warner Bros. Discovery Studios in LA, and Tesla has been pre-emptively gathering FSD data around the neighborhood. This likely means that the event will include a demonstration of Robotaxi’s capabilities and a reveal of the Robotaxi itself. We’re hoping that attendees will have the opportunity to sit in and experience Robotaxi delivering them from Point A to Point B inside of the Discovery Studios set pieces.
It’s expected to be one of Tesla’s most interesting and notable events, as this is the first reveal of the much-talked-about Robotaxi, which has been Tesla’s goal for its Full Self-Driving software since Elon Musk’s Masterplan I.
Tesla’s latest FSD update, version 2024.27.5 brings some improvements when parking your vehicle. This is another undocumented, but one we’re happy to see.
Most recently, the Cybertruck received the undocumented change for the Hands-Free Frunk opening (video below). The Cybertruck also recently received Vision Park Assist, which included steering wheel guides in the visualization showing the direction the front and rear wheels were turned. However, it turns out this isn’t just for the Cybertruck.
Update: We’ve updated this article to mention that this feature isn’t included in update 2024.32 yet.
Quick video on the auto frunk. It's literally 🧍♂️📐
Due to the Cybertruck’s unique rear-wheel steering and steer-by-wire design, Park Assist in the Cybertruck displayed the path of the front wheels, and how they would swing while reversing.
This enhancement is also coming to every Tesla vehicle in FSD 12.5.2 and later. It’s also expected to be available in a future update for non-FSD vehicles. However, it’s unclear whether it will be a later revision of update 2024.32 or the next major Tesla update. This is a neat little update, as it helps drivers better understand and predict the path their vehicle will take during a turn.
Brandon, going by @teslaflexx on X, originally spotted the new visuals recently on an AMD-based Model Y running 2024.27.5 and FSD V12.5.2.
Any vehicles who are on update 2024.27.5 or 2024.27.20 should have access to this new feature.
Looks like Cybertruck wasn’t the only vehicle to get the new guide visuals with park assist. Much better than the lines! pic.twitter.com/tF9ZsWCcWy
