Jon McNeil, a former Tesla executive and current GM board member, recently shared insights into Tesla’s product development approach during a TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 talk. He emphasized that the key to Tesla’s innovation was its practice of reviewing real products, not just mockups, during product meetings. This hands-on approach, inspired by Elon Musk’s encounter with Steve Jobs, fostered a culture of rapid innovation and attention to detail at Tesla.
during the early days of Tesla, Musk sought advice from Jobs, who advised him to focus on creating a perfect product, as a well-designed product would sell itself. This philosophy became central to Tesla’s development process. Product meetings were held weekly, where senior leadership would review actual products, not slides, ensuring that the team remained grounded in the real-world application of their designs.
This approach led to features like the “Emissions Testing Mode,” a playful software function that simulates flatulence sounds through the car’s speakers, and a minimalist user interface design that prioritized simplicity and user-friendliness. By focusing on tangible products and user experience, Tesla maintained a culture of innovation and quality that propelled its success in the electric vehicle market.
