Tesla’s AI Chief And Top Member Of Automated Driving Team Resigns

The head of the artificial intelligence team and a key architect of the electric car maker's efforts to create self-driving technology is leaving the company.

The computer scientist, who was trained at the University of California, Berkeley, announced his departure on the social networking site. He joined the company in June of last year after working at another Musk-affiliated venture.

He wrote that it was a pleasure to help the company towards its goals over the last five years. Autopilot graduated from lane keeping to city streets and I look forward to seeing the strong team continue that. Karpathy doesn't have a plan for what's next

Musk wants his company to be a leader in fully self-driving cars, but its autopilot and Full Self-Driving upgrade have been implicated in a number of fatal accidents. The National Highway Safety Administration is investigating a crash in Florida in which a car slammed into a truck that wasn't moving. Two people are dead in a car. The agency wouldn't discuss the status of the investigation with Forbes. According to media reports, the federal safety agency has opened 30 previous reviews of crashes involving the tech feature in the electric car.

Karpathy led the computer vision team for autopilot, the camera based system that helps see and identify a vehicle's surroundings. Laser lidar units that provide detailed 3D images that enhance what cameras see aren't used byTesla.

Musk has been a critic of lidar for a long time. You have done so much for the company. Musk posted a picture of himself with a dog. It has been a pleasure to work with you.

Musk said in March that Karpathy would be on a sabbatical. Karpathy wanted to rest and travel.

The company didn't reply to a request for comment on who will take over for Karpathy.

His departure coincides with the closing of an office in San Mateo, California, and the firing of more than 200 employees, many of whom were data annotation specialists assisting the autopilot program. Musk has said that he is cutting staff in order to prepare for a recession.

The shares of the company were down 2% in Thursday morning trading.