Tesla is reportedly losing one of its longest-serving executives. David Lau, the company’s Vice President of Software Engineering, has informed colleagues he is stepping down after nearly 13 years with the automaker.
According to Lau’s LinkedIn profile, he joined Tesla in 2012 as a senior manager of firmware engineering and steadily climbed the ranks to become VP in 2017. Over the years, he helped shape Tesla’s identity as a software-centric automaker, overseeing everything from vehicle firmware and infotainment to mobile apps, over-the-air (OTA) updates, and cloud infrastructure.
His influence extended across Tesla’s vehicles, manufacturing systems, and internal tools, making him a pivotal figure in the company’s technological evolution.
But now he is stepping down. According to a report from Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter, Lau informed his team he is departing the company.
While the reasons for his decision to leave, or where he might be going next, remain unclear, his absence will be felt. He was one of the few senior leaders who publicly represented Tesla’s bench strength, appearing alongside Musk at Investor Day in 2023 and playing a key role in launching the refreshed Model 3 later that year.
If the report is accurate, Lau is the latest in a series of high-profile executives who have departed the company over the past year. Other notable exits include former CFO Zachary Kirkhorn, Drew Baglino, Rohan Patel, Rebecca Tinucci, Martin Viecha, and others.
