Abstract

Tesla continues to pioneer innovations in automotive design, manufacturing, and product life cycle practices. Their engineering practice is equally pioneering, and radically unique in the automotive sector. Though Tesla doesn’t recognize an agile systems engineering strategy, their pursuit of continual engineering innovation results in an agile systems engineering approach. This article summarizes Tesla’s engineering practice, features an instructive graphic depiction of that practice, characterizes that practice as an agile systems engineering practice, and suggests how that practice can be employed in other sectors.

Date

October 11, 2025

Authors

Rick Dove, Jim Larkin, Northrop Grumman, Kerry Lunney, Michael Orosz, Mike Yokell, Jennifer Whitby