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Sandy Munro and the Tesla Owners of Silicon Valley recently met for an energetic and insightful Q&A session. What followed was a no-holds-barred conversation on EV design, manufacturing innovation, and where legacy automakers are falling behind. From the practical impact of mega castings to the limits of phantom braking, Sandy and Corey Steuben of Munro & Associates offered candid, expert-level commentary based on thousands of miles of hands-on experience.
From Cybertruck Orders to Engineering Culture
Kicking things off, Sandy revealed that Munro & Associates has five Cybertrucks on order—one destined for complete teardown. “We ordered them in the first hour,” he said, crediting his team rather than himself. This segue turned into a reflection on hiring philosophy: Munro’s preference is not for interns or MBA types, but passionate tinkerers—some degreed, many not—who “built their own cars” and “filled an office with racing trophies.” Talent and drive matter more than pedigree in Sandy’s world of lean engineering.
What Makes a Great Engineer (and a Bad CEO)
Sandy didn’t hold back on why traditional automakers struggle: “Too many MBAs. Too many lawyers.” He argued that engineers at legacy firms are stymied by corporate risk aversion. At Munro & Associates, innovation is fostered by getting smart, hands-on people to run projects—and letting them deliver. “If you say no, you get promoted. If you don’t say no, it’s risk. And no risk is the worst risk.”
Road Trip Lessons: Autopilot, Fatigue, and Phantom Braking
Having logged over 36 hours of road trip time in Tesla vehicles, Sandy and Corey praised the experience: “I couldn’t believe it. There was no fatigue whatsoever.” Autopilot handled the bulk of the drive—up to 80% of it—and let Sandy enjoy views for once, not just the road. Still, there were pain points. The biggest? Bad road markings, which caused Tesla’s FSD Beta to misread off-ramps and construction zones. “That was the only really big deal around,” Sandy said, referencing a hair-raising moment when the car attempted to exit where no ramp existed.
Inter-Vehicle Communication and the EV Future
Drafting tests didn’t yield meaningful efficiency gains, but Sandy expressed strong support for vehicle-to-vehicle communication to enable safer, tighter spacing in traffic. As autonomy matures, Sandy predicted fewer traffic jams and more consistency in driving behavior. “Self-driving will level it out,” he said, arguing that over-cautious or reckless human drivers create most of the chaos.
He also sees Tesla’s long-term model as vastly different from the rest: not just selling cars, but “selling four cars” over a lifetime, thanks to seamless customer experience and over-the-air updates. Meanwhile, legacy players want to push one sale, then move on.
Mega Castings and Manufacturing Mastery
A highlight of the session was the inspection of a Tesla Model Y equipped with the latest front-end mega casting. “This is the way a car should be,” Sandy proclaimed. “Three castings to get the job done.” He detailed the incredible precision of the Giga Press molds—filled in four to six milliseconds—and how the result improves stiffness, safety, and production efficiency.
Sandy emphasized that mega castings are not only structurally sound but simplify assembly dramatically. “When it fits right the first time, the line flies. No errors.” He compared it favorably even to the BMW i3, which used carbon fiber for precision but was aesthetically “the ugliest car.”
Ownership Models: Batteries, Service, and the Human Factor
Asked about battery swapping—like NIO’s hot-swapping model—Sandy rejected it outright. “I don’t want someone else’s battery,” he said. “I want a gigantic brick that’s going to keep me safe.” He believes the future belongs to long-life, high-integrity battery packs that double as safety structures.
On the topic of robo-taxis, Sandy sees potential but also predicted a backlash: “I think people will get tired of puke-smelling, rattling taxis. Americans want their own car.” That said, he believes autonomy will enable entirely new use cases—like a car driving itself to meet you across the country after a flight.
Winners and Losers in the EV Transition
Looking ahead, Sandy believes Tesla will grow stronger, along with challengers like Rivian, Faraday Future, and NIO. “I can’t begin to tell you how impressed I was,” he said of Faraday. On the other hand, General Motors may shrink the fastest due to its delayed EV pivot. Ford and Chrysler may follow, while Toyota, with its hybrid leadership and even cold fusion research, will likely weather the storm.
“You know who’s afraid?” Sandy asked. “BMW, Mercedes—even Bentley. They’re afraid of a perfect Tesla build.” In his view, the minute Tesla starts rolling out consistent, flawless vehicles, legacy brands will face an existential threat.
Key Takeaways:
- Talent over titles: Munro hires based on hands-on engineering ability, not degrees or resumes.
- Mega castings are the future: They offer rigidity, safety, and assembly efficiency unmatched by traditional designs.
- Road infrastructure matters: Poor line markings cause more FSD issues than Tesla’s tech.
- Autonomy = less fatigue: Sandy found Tesla’s autopilot dramatically reduced driving strain.
- Legacy OEMs risk decline: Those prioritizing cost-cutting over innovation are in danger of shrinking fast.
More Tesla Teardowns, More Tesla Insights:
Stay tuned for more expert EV breakdowns, mega casting analysis, and firsthand road test insights from Sandy Munro and the team.