Doug Field Joins Rivian-Backed Mind Robotics as President to Lead Industrial AI and Robotics Expansion

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Doug Field, ex-Ford EV chief and former Tesla and Apple car project leader, has been appointed president of Mind Robotics, Rivian’s industrial AI and robotics startup, to spearhead its growth and product development.

Mind Robotics, an industrial AI and robotics startup created by electric vehicle maker Rivian in 2025, has announced the appointment of Doug Field as its new president. Field, a veteran automotive and technology executive, brings to Mind Robotics decades of experience including leadership roles at Ford, Tesla, and Apple’s secretive car project known as Project Titan.

Doug Field’s recent departure from Ford in April 2026 came after shaping the automaker’s electric vehicle and technology strategy during his five-year tenure. Before Ford, he was senior vice president of engineering at Tesla, instrumental in guiding the Model 3 sedan through manufacturing challenges. Additionally, Field headed Apple’s Project Titan, an ambitious but ultimately shelved electric and autonomous vehicle initiative.

At Mind Robotics, Field will manage the company's day-to-day operations, focusing on product, engineering, and operational execution. Rivian’s CEO, RJ Scaringe, who founded Mind Robotics in 2025, will continue to be involved but has entrusted Field to lead the startup’s scaling efforts.

Mind Robotics aims to revolutionize industrial manufacturing by building a comprehensive technology stack of purpose-built robots powered by foundation AI models. Unlike humanoid robots being developed by competitors such as Tesla, Mind Robotics opts not to replicate human biomechanics, instead tailoring robots specifically for manufacturing and industrial tasks. Rivian’s own high-volume factory acts as a real-world environment for deploying and training these models, with Rivian serving as Mind Robotics’ first customer.

Supported by over $1 billion in funding from venture capital firms including Accel, Andreessen Horowitz, Eclipse, Kleiner Perkins, and corporate venture groups from Volkswagen and Salesforce, Mind Robotics is gearing up to scale its operations aggressively. Scaringe highlighted the importance of finding a leader aligned with Mind’s mission and collaborative culture, which he found in Field.

In a statement, Field emphasized the challenge and opportunity of integrating AI and robotics in manufacturing. He praised Mind Robotics’ strategy of real-world deployment from day one and expressed excitement about building the team and technology to “redefine what we can make in America.”

Mind Robotics is one of two startups created by Scaringe outside Rivian, alongside Also, a micromobility venture focusing initially on high-end electric bikes. Both operate independently with minority ownership by Rivian, which held roughly a one-third stake in each as of mid-2026.

The addition of Doug Field signals Mind Robotics’ commitment to leveraging top engineering talent to advance industrial automation and AI, potentially positioning Rivian’s startup as a significant player in next-generation manufacturing technologies.