Most Innovative Companies

Tesla Motors

In late 2015, electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla rolled out its 7.0 software, giving its cars a suite of autonomous features such as automatized steering, lane change, and parallel parking. Tesla isn't the first or only manufacturer to offer these kinds of autopilot features, but it does have the capability to roll them out faster than its competitors: the company started installing the hardware for semi-autonomous functionality more than a year ago. While other manufacturers had to add new technology and gadgets to their cars for them to be semi-autonomous, all Tesla owners had to do was update their software, as they do for an iPhone or computer. The 7.0 software is constantly gathering data from drivers, so not only can Tesla iterate faster, it can do so based on data captured by thousands of real drivers. In 2016, the 7.1 update will provide autopilot parking--drivers won't even need to be in the car. And Tesla owner Elon Musk expects to come out with a legit self-driving car within three years, which is just slightly sooner than the 2020 deadline set by competitors such as Google and Mercedes.

Lists

2017: Energy, Transportation

2016: Automotive, Energy

2015: Top 50, Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Social Good, The Internet of Things

2014: Top 50, Energy, Social Good, Travel

2013: Top 50

2012: Top 50

Data

valuation: $28 billion as of November 2015

public or private: Public

staff: About 60,000

headquarters: Palo Alto, CA

Competition: Mercedes-Benz

Stories about Tesla Motors

The Diary Of An Ex-Tesla Intern

Eddie Wattanachai Lin talks about the terror he felt when he was asked to code on his first day, and how he fueled himself with a huge number of Costco sausages.

The Diary Of An Ex-Tesla Intern

How Tesla Protects The Romance Of Driving While Disrupting The Industry

09.05.13 | 8:08 am

Elon Musk Is Taking The Model S On A Road Trip

Tesla Motors Turns A Profit For The First Time

Fast Company Magazine

Why Tesla Motors Is Betting On The Model S

Elon Musk’s Tesla Motors isn’t just an electric car company–it’s perhaps the greatest test of Silicon Valley’s innovation model. And now is do-or-die time, when everything is riding on a new $50,000 sedan.

Why Tesla Motors Is Betting On The Model S

An Inside Look at Tesla’s Model S

Is This 170 MPH All-American Electric Supercar for Real?

Tesla Leaking a Trail of Cash

Three Steps for Changing Reality

Tesla, Toyota Plan to Sell Electric RAV4 By 2012

Tesla Raises Shocking Amount in Nasdaq Debut

Tesla Only Sells 10 Cars a Week, But Still Has Plans to Build a Cabriolet, Van, and SUV

Tesla Sets IPO Terms: $185 Million, With Help From Toyota

Use Reverse Innovation to Inspire Ethonomics

Tesla Teams Up With Panasonic for EV Batteries

With $350M Infusion, Tesla Adds Minivans, Crossovers, and Fleet Vans to Line of EVs

Tesla Lawsuit Drama Ends as Five Company Founders Emerge

Fisker, Kleiner Perkins Team Up for $39,000 Plug-in Hybrid Mystery Car

Tesla Hits the Jackpot: $465 Million in DOE Loans

05.14.09 | 12:55 am

Change-Agent Designs: They Inspire You to Do the Right Thing

Impact

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This devastating back-to-school ad is designed to shock parents into action

Think fake burgers are just for vegetarians? 95% of Impossible Foods’ customers are meat eaters

Creativity

Why Laura Dern, Olivia Wilde, and Zazie Beetz are telling the truth for True Botanicals

George Lucas has made more mistakes per hour than any other director

SNL fired Shane Gillis. Here’s what those defending him don’t seem to get

Co.Design

Modern money is crawling with nasty bacteria

Three-quarters of plastic products are toxic

Ikea is spawning startups that customize your furniture for you

Work Life

Advice for founders dealing with defensive or troubled employees

How my Latinx upbringing made me a better leader

5 ways emotionally intelligent people deal with impostor syndrome