Tesla Should Be the First Company to Achieve Level 4 Autonomy: A Brief History of Autonomous Driving in December 2022While Tesla is behind admittedly optimistic timelines, the automaker is poised to become the first company that will achieve every subsequent level of autonomy.In preparation for the autonomous future to come, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) determined five distinct levels of autonomous driving in 2013.A summation of these levels is as follows: Level 0: Manual driving by a human, with no computer assistance. Level 1: Steering or acceleration can be controlled by the vehicle. Level 2: An integrated driver assistance system comprised of both steering and acceleration/deceleration utilizing environmental data. Level 3: A more compl

Tesla is changing the course of history with its second revolutionary AI Day event: Optimus Humanoid Robot Fully-functioning prototype tested and demonstrated for the first time with no additional cranes or supports. The robot can walk, move, wave, and operates with ten fingers. Powered by the same Full Self-Driving Computer that’s in a Tesla. Possible for the robot to pick up boxes, and runs on Autopilot neural networks re-trained for a robot. The robot can view the world through neural networks. Second prototype with Tesla-designed and built actuators, battery packs, and computer that will be similar to the production version. Optimus will be able to move fingers independently, with opposable thumbs. The goal is to create a humanoid robot that’s usable as quickl

A majority of states, 41 in total, offer an incentive on the purchase and ownership of a new or used electric vehicle and/or solar incentives. Alabama Customers that use the utility company Alabama Power can receive a discounted rate on energy during off-peak hours. Alaska Similarly, CEA offers a $200 bill credit for up to 2 residential chargers, Alaska Electric Light and Power offers reduced rate EV charging during off-peak hours, and Alaska Power & Telephone Company offers customers with an EV that has a battery over 14kWh a $1,000 incentive. Arizona Customers can receive a Reduced Vehicle License Tax, carpool lane access, and up to a $1,000 state credit for Solar. Additionally, SRP, AP, and Tucson Electric Power offer reduced electricity rates for electric vehicle own

YouTube: Josip Ricov Tesla showcased the new Quicksilver color at the Zurich auto show, giving us a closer look at Tesla’s first new paint color — and Full Self-Driving hardware in years. Quicksilver is outfitted on a Model Y Performance, offering an aesthetic that complements the multi-layered color well alongside blacked-out design elements. There are as many as thirteen layers of paint that come together to create a unique shade of silver that’s darker than a standard silver metallic. It’s still distinctly lighter than the Midnight Silver Metallic that Quicksilver is replacing in the European market. Th

Tesla has introduced a steering wheel retrofit for the current-generation Model S and Model X, which originally came equipped with “Yoke Steering.” The retrofit is available via Tesla’s shop, and is designed for Model S and Model X vehicles that were produced in 2021 through 2022. Its goal is to retrofit the uniquely-functional “yoke” steering wheel introduced in the most recent Model S/X interior refresh with a more conventional round steering wheel. While it adds a traditional round shape, the premium vegan leather nonetheless features heating as well as the standing omission of commonplace stalks and shifters. This comes as Tesla has made the newly-designed round steering wheel

Image Credit: jasondclinton via Reddit The first Model X customer has taken delivery of a vehicle with the latest Full Self-Driving Hardware 4.0: here’s what Tesla customers can expect. Summary Full Self-Driving Hardware 4.0 is the latest generation of Autopilot/Full Self-Driving Hardware. It replaces the current Hardware 3.0 version, which was introduced in 2019 as Tesla’s own custom Full Self-Driving Computer. Hardware 4.0 is roughly twice as powerful as its predecessor, with more detailed specifications of its Exynos-based processor and chip design revealed in a recent teardown. It additionally features 5-megapixel camera sensors, upgraded from 1.2- megap

Tesla may be planning to produce a smaller, more affordable version of Model Y designed for immense scale according to new reports. The premise behind the next new Tesla model should essentially be a smaller version of Model Y: an electric crossover sharing much of the same features and functionality, built on Tesla’s more cost-effective next-generation vehicle platform. Cost savings for the new platform will be passed on to consumers in the form of a starting price that could be half of the current starting price of Model Y. This may be the $25,000 ‘Model 2’-equivalent vehicle that Tesla plans to introduce later this year. The production goal for the new vehicle will be four-million units per year, with the first production lines being built at the currently-in-construction

Tesla’s require inherently less maintenance as sophisticated electric vehicles: this is what new and used owners should expect to replace at recommended intervals. It’s important to highlight that a benefit of not having an internal-combustion engine means a lack of oil changes, fuel filters, spark plug replacements, or emission checks. Cabin Air Filter The first maintenance item that Tesla recommends replacing is the cabin air filter, which filters air coming through the air conditioning with pollen prevention and even state-of-the-art biohazard protection. As a result, Model 3 and Model Y should have their air filter replaced every two years. The cost from Tesla: $17 The larger filter on Model S and Model X should be replaced once every three years. The cost from

A newly-revised version of the electric vehicle tax credit has been renewed for Tesla: these are the models that are expected to once again qualify. As there are numerous stipulations for buyers to consider, here is a breakdown of how Tesla’s lineup will look once the tax credit is available: Model 3 Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive The base configuration of Model 3, now simply known as Model 3 or Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive, will be eligible at its purchase price of $46,990. Model 3 Long Range All-Wheel Drive New orders for the upgraded configuration of Model 3 featuring longer range and a Dual Motor setup have been temporarily halted by Tesla. While the configuration held a starting price of $57,990, it’s plausible that Tesla will reduce the price to under $55,000 in order to be a qu

Tesla is imminently planning to increase the price of Full Self-Driving to $15,000. This coincides with Full Self-Driving Beta release 10.69, which began being rolled out to Beta participants last night. 10.69 is a major update, adding “deep lane guidance,” improved overall driving smoothness and turns, and more minor improvements. 10.69.1 is planned for release at the end of the week with a wider release, then 10.69.2 will be rolled out to all Full Self-Driving Beta participants in the beginning of September. Tesla will continue to honor pricing on orders placed now and delivered next year, and standing owners can add Full Self-Driving at the current $12,000 price via the Tesla app. A $15,000 price increase to Full Self-Driving will become effective on September 5th. Real Talk T

What Tesla Left Out of Investor Day: Hardware 4.0, Model 2, Cybertruck — and the New Insights That Were Shared Investors and enthusiasts expected Tesla to spend more time discussing new products that are set to imminently launch at the Investor Day event; instead, the company focused on a much broader long-term outlook. Investor Day 2023 Format Nonetheless, Tesla did indirectly reveal insights into the topics that investors were expecting related to Full Self-Driving, Model 2, and Cybertruck. We found the presentation by the entire Tesla team to be compelling and insightful overall, painting an idyllic picture for the future of t

Tesla has recalled more than a million vehicles, which is the automaker’s largest recall thus far this year. Tesla’s automatic window reversal system violates NHTSA regulations, as it has been found that it may not properly detect and respond to an obstruction. There have been no warranty claims or injuries reported, although it is possible for a window’s glass to become obstructed and potentially pinch a person’s hand or fingers. The recall affects most 2017–2022 Model 3, 2020–2021 Model Y, and 2021–2022 Model S and Model X vehicles. Tesla self-reported the issue during production testing. A fix comes in the form of an over-the-air software update that will be rolled out to affected owners as soon as possible. Real Talk This affects over 200,000 more vehicles than Tesla’s seat b

What Automakers Could Learn from Aptera Being the First to Adopt Tesla’s North American Charging Standard Up-and-coming automaker Aptera Motors has made its flagship vehicle the first non-Tesla to feature Tesla’s North American Charging Standard, which could become a lesson to all automakers to pay attention and re-evaluate their charging design. Aptera will include the same proprietary connector that comes on every Tesla produced for the North American market as standard. Additionally, Aptera has made fast charging/Tesla Supercharging a standard feature on every Aptera sold. DC Fast Charging has become a given on just about every electric vehicle sold in recent years; however, Aptera may not have adopted fast charging into its design due to the inherent bulkiness of the CC

California has approved digital license plates for all makes and models of vehicles: could Tesla use this to its advantage to create an industry standard? Digital license plates are already more technologically-advanced and innovative than the conventional alternative. Owners can display custom messages alongside the license plate, including useful functionality such as remotely marking a vehicle as stolen. Visual personalization provides a light and dark mode, based on user preference. An integrated app can also provide alerts, including if a vehicle were to begin moving. There are further built-in features including registration and renewal that communicates with the California DMV through a provided app, as well as location services for tracking a vehicle on the cloud-based pl

The IRS has begun releasing specific stipulations for the clean vehicle tax credit: here’s how they could impact Tesla, among other automakers. Customers should understand that the renewed clean vehicle tax credit is scalable up to $7,500. For the purpose of a fully-electric vehicle, this scale should consistently start at $3,750 and meet the full $7,500 for vehicles with qualifying battery components. The question up until this point was exactly what would define a qualifying battery component, mainly coming down to battery component production location(s) as well as the battery material sourcing location(s). A new Critical Mineral Requirement dictates that a certain percentage of the value of critical minerals are either extracted or processed in the United States, or from a country with

Tesla to Make Adjustments in China As the Automaker Plans to Move LFP Battery Production to North America Elon Musk is planning a visit to China, while Tesla is making preparations to move LFP battery production to North America. A breaking Reuters report revealed that Elon Musk intends to visit China next month in order to secure a meeting with China Premier Li Qiang. It’s not known at this point what the purpose of the meeting will be; however, Giga Shanghai has been an increasingly important facility for the automaker since it opened in 2019. Musk hasn’t been to China since pre-Covid in 2020. Meanwhile, Tesla is reportedly planning to produce lithium-iron phosphate batteries in North America through a partnership with the leading Chinese battery manufacturer CA

Tesla Full Self-Driving Software: The Transfer of Ownership Part 2 Tesla is a company that has revolutionized the automotive industry with its electric vehicles and cutting-edge technology. One of the most talked-about features of Tesla vehicles is their Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, which promises to make driving a fully autonomous experience. However, there is a lot of confusion about the transfer of ownership of this software, and whether it will stay with the vehicle if it is sold. The good news is that if a private owner has paid for the FSD software and sells the vehicle to another private buyer or dealer, the software will indeed transfer and stay with the Tesla. This means that the new owner will have the same level of autonomous driving capabilities as the previous

Electric vehicle startups are attempting to make a name for themselves at an opportune time as the industry transitions to electric: will it be enough to emulate Tesla’s success? Unfortunately, electric vehicles startups have more working against them than they do for then. Then again, Tesla beat the odds to accomplish the impossible. Competition is significantly more fierce and varied now than it’s ever been, as conventional automakers are bringing their A-game to electric vehicle development. Every automaker has recognized that now is the most prime time of all to create new classes of vehicles, and the best versions of their most beloved models. Electric will create perhaps the ultimate versions of many vehicles, from sport performance cars to heavy-duty trucks. New players to

Tesla is in the process of a mid-cycle refresh to Model S and Model X, introduced in intermittent steps independently on both vehicles. Full Self-Driving Hardware 4.0 Tesla began shipping Model X with Full Self-Driving Hardware 4.0 earlier this week. Hardware 4.0 offers roughly double the processing power of its predecessor along with upgraded camera sensors and the surprising yet confirmed addition of a next-generation Phoenix radar module. Tesla is still in the process of optimizing Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features for the new hardware. As a result, more advanced functiona