Apple Tempting Tesla Staff With Big Cash Bonuses

Jason Siu
by Jason Siu

Automotive companies aren’t the only ones that are poaching on Tesla employees.

At its core, Tesla is an automotive manufacturer but many of its employees are from the technology sector, including several people from Apple in recent years. But Apple is well aware of the talent within Tesla’s walls and Elon Musk has said that the tech giant has tried very hard to recruit from Tesla, offering $250,000 signing bonuses and even 60-percent salary increases. Musk added that Apple hasn’t been very successful only recruiting “very few people” but you can’t say the same for Tesla.

SEE ALSO: Tesla Model S Adds Executive Rear Seats

The American automaker hired Doug Field to serve as the company’s vice-president of its vehicle program. Field, who also had previous experience at Ford, was overseeing product and hardware design at Apple when Tesla came calling. In fact, Tesla has hired at least 150 former Apple employees. Taking one look at the Tesla Model S you’ll also see the influences from those ex-Apple employees, including the sedan’s 17-inch touchscreen in center console. That feature was developed by Brennan Boblett, a former Apple designer along with a team of Apple alumni.

GALLERY: Tesla Model S

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Jason Siu
Jason Siu

Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.

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