2018 Tesla Model 3Peter Bleakney In a truly stupid video recently posted to Instagram, YouTuber Alex Choi attempted to make himself look cool by sitting in the back seat of a semi-autonomous Tesla Model 3 with nobody behind the wheel. Choi posted the eight-second clip to his Instagram Stories, clearly showing himself taking a video from the back seat of the car as it self-navigated heavy traffic, a friend in the front passenger seat and the driver’s seat completely empty, just like the part of his brain where the common sense is supposed to be. Needless to say, if something were to go wrong with the system, or even if it were turned off suddenly – it deactivates when someone turns the wheel or touches the brakes – he would have been totally screwed, and likely would’ve hurt somebody else on the road. meanwhile, YouTuber and new #TeslaModel3 Performance owner, Alex Choi is posted this video to his Instagram story last night. Its probably the most reckless thing that hes done and thats saying something. pic.twitter.com/TK5zwgRohX Det Ansinn (@detansinn) June 4, 2019 This isn’t the first time Choi has done something stupid that endangers other people’s lives. A video was posted a while back with him making an extremely ill-timed merge in a Lamborghini that almost ended a motorcycle rider’s life. Honestly, if you’re going to do something for the gram, at least make it cool or interesting; this is just stupid, and doesn’t help the reputation of the Autopilot system. Once again, Tesla’s Autopilot system is not some stupid toy to be played with. It’s a driver assistance aid aimed at making driving more comfortable, so quit pretending it’s your own personal chauffeur. It isn’t. Tesla is also partly to blame for this kind of behavior, since the automaker still uses language like “full self-driving capability” to describe Autopilot’s advantages, when that’s something it really doesn’t
Origin: YouTube moron films himself in Tesla on Autopilot with no one at the wheel
Tesla
Toyota and Subaru join forces to create rival to Tesla Model X
A prototype render of a new BEV platform to be co-developed by Subaru and ToyotaSubaru Toyota and Subaru said early June they’ll join forces once again to create a new Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) platform that will underpin midsize and large passenger vehicles for each brand, though they will also jointly develop an SUV that uses the platform. World markets are undergoing a tectonic shift, with electric vehicles and hybrids gradually expanding their market share. To get new their zero-emissions technologies up to speed as fast as possible, Toyota and Subaru have again partnered together, hoping to draw from both companies’ expertise in order to create an effective BEV platform. Traditional hybrids have worked well in the past for both brands, but this is the first time either will step into the world of fully-electric vehicles. Building a pure EV requires the batteries are essentially part of the body, which necessitates a new platform for both Toyota and Subaru. Following this agreement with Toyota, Subaru will now shift its existing BEV development resources to this new joint project, the automaker said in a statement. Within this new framework, Subaru will continue its efforts to create an attractive BEV SUV for our customers, while improving efficiencies in terms of engineering, development, purchasing, and other areas through the new joint project. Toyota and Subaru first started a working partnership in 2005, and are now creating a deeper connection with the development of this new platform. The first fruit this partnership bore was the BRZ/GT86 sports car, which has been a hit with
Origin: Toyota and Subaru join forces to create rival to Tesla Model X
‘Aladdin’ star sues Tesla after he claims wheel flew off car
Mena Massouds Tesla Model 3, following a wreck September 2018TMZ It would seem Aladdin has more on his mind lately than foiling the villainous Jafar. According to a report from TMZ, star actor Mena Massoud is instead busy taking legal action against Tesla, claiming the car company is at fault for a crash last year. The entertainment website reports that Massoud alleges the right-front wheel of his then-new Tesla Model 3 suddenly “crumpled” and flew off the car. This, he says, caused him to lose control and hammer the formerly useful electric sedan into a particularly stout tree along the edge of Hollywood Boulevard. Pictures posted by TMZ show a wrecked Model 3 crumpled up like a discarded chip bag, and a destroyed wheel tire assembly. Now, unless our eyes deceive us, that assembly includes a brake caliper and various front suspension parts, all of which are rare to just shear off a car without warning. Keyboard warriors are quick to lay blame in both directions, with some spouting their belief Teslas are poorly made and others thinking there’s no way a wheel and tire combination spontaneously abandons the car onto which it was bolted. At this point, it would appear that it’s up to the courts to figure that one out. There is no mention if Autopilot was engaged. The lawyer cited by TMZ as representing Massoud, Kevin K. Javidzad, is listed as working for the offices of Colony Law in Los Angeles. His practice focuses on, among other things, personal injury matters. For its part, Tesla has been cranking up production of its volume model in the months since Massoud bought his car in September. With the new Model Y scheduled to roll off assembly lines and the flagship Model S sedan due for an interior restyle, Tesla has its hands quite full. (Image from
Origin: ‘Aladdin’ star sues Tesla after he claims wheel flew off car
Tesla blames production delays for significant financial losses
Tesla’s financial woes continue even as the Californian company sets jaw-dropping records for sales of its electric Model 3 saloon across continental Europe and predicts the imminent arrival of autonomous ‘robotaxis’. CEO Elon Musk predicted three months ago that Tesla would make a profit in the first financial quarter of this year. Instead, it posted one of its worst three-month results, losing $702 million (£545m). Musk blamed delays in Model 3 production, as well as losses caused by a slip in residual values for its ageing Model S and Model X cars. Tesla has posted a profit in only four quarters since 2010 and has never had a profitable year. Demand might be cooling in the US, but not for Europe, at least for the new Model 3. Across Europe, according to car industry analyst Jato Dynamics, 14,652 Model 3s were registered in March, an astonishing result that surpassed sales of the BMW 3 Series and the Audi A4 (estate and saloon). Of that number, 5315 were sold in Norway, Europe’s leading electric car market, giving the Model 3 a staggering 29% of the market. Next year, Tesla will start selling an SUV version of the Model 3, the Model Y, and Musk recently predicted that it would ultimately become more popular than the Model S, Model X and Model 3 combined. However, problems are mounting up for Tesla. As well as finishing the Model Y, it needs to find money to complete a new factory in Shanghai, China, scheduled to start later this year, as well as develop the new Roadster sports car and an electric truck, the Tesla Semi. A recent video from China showing an early Model S apparently spontaneously catching fire has also (literally) reignited safety fears surrounding its cars. Meanwhile, EV competitors are stacking up, including the Jaguar I-Pace (1503 European sales in March, beating the Model X at 874), the Audi E-tron and Mercedes EQC. More affordable electric models, particularly from the Volkswagen Group, are due next year to rival the Model Y’s launch, as will Ford’s ‘Mustang-inspired’ Mach E SUV. Despite the headwinds, Tesla’s share price remains stratospheric, much to the annoyance of the infamous ‘shorts’ (the short-seller investors who bet against Tesla succeeding) and the traditional car firms. A Ford of Europe spokesman tweeted last week: “Since 2009, Tesla has lost $6.4 billion. In the same time frame, Ford has made $71.6bn. And yet as of today, Wall Street values Tesla at $45bn and Ford at $38bn. World is mad.” Even those who recommend buying Tesla stock have to qualify their enthusiasm. “Our Tesla call is hard to live with at times but we see value in Tesla’s EV/connectivity technology and experimentation. We remain confident there is a path to sustained profitability,” Philippe Houchois, analyst at financial research firm Jefferies, wrote in a note after Tesla’s recent poor results. That ‘experimentation’ ranges from the useful, such as over-the-air updates, to the wildly improbable. Falling into the improbable category are Musk’s claims that advances in Tesla’s autonomous tech will allow owners to send off their private cars to work as self-driving ‘robotaxis’ by as early as next year. He said the earning potential means we’d all be “financially insane to buy anything other than a Tesla”. Financial analyst Jeffrey Osborne at Cowen, a bank, called the plan “half-baked”. It’d also be unworkable across most regions until autonomous cars are given type approval. But right now for Tesla, even self-driving looks more achievable than self-financing. Nick
Origin: Tesla blames production delays for significant financial losses
He joked about sheep with Elon Musk on Twitter—now he has a job at Tesla
The photo of the absolute unit shared on the museums Twitter page that started the exchange with Elon Musk.The MERL via Twitter Adam Koszary ran social media campaigns for the Museum of English Rural Life in Berkshire, U.K. where his knack for viral content eventually resulted in Elon Musk changing his profile picture on Twitter to a sheep last month. Now he says he’s landed a job at Tesla to manage the company’s social media. Tesla and Koszary did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The jokes first started after Musk tweeted and then changed his profile picture to a sheep found in the museum’s archives. The museum, known as the MERL, responded by changing its own profile picture to a head shot of Musk. It followed up by tweeting a picture of a sheep in space with the caption maybe. Excuse us @elonmusk but what pic.twitter.com/2c1w8KpaOJ The Museum of English Rural Life (@TheMERL) April 17, 2019 Can we put a sheep into space in a car now please it’s 2019, the museum asked in another tweet. The MERL, affiliated with the University of Reading, ultimately racked up a total of 133,000 followers, including Musk, who only follows 83 other accounts. Maybe pic.twitter.com/jkE7kfVtZp The Museum of English Rural Life (@TheMERL) April 18, 2019 Relive the whole exchange
Origin: He joked about sheep with Elon Musk on Twitter—now he has a job at Tesla
This functioning Tesla Model X is the latest rad Lego fan-build
There have been many Lego replicas, big and small, come to light on the Internet in recent years, many of which we’ve covered here. What makes this latest example, a 1:10 model of the Tesla Model X, worthy of your attention is the fact its creators at RoboticLife found a way to incorporate nine small Lego motors to accomplish a variety of electric functions including four-wheel-drive, automatic doors and an adjustable suspension. And it’s all controlled by a mobile app. The suspension adjusting between ‘standard’ and ‘high’ – the latter being reserved for when the little EV needs to do some off-roading, like drive over some leaves or a small branch – is highly satisfying to behold. A hand pushing down on the front and rear of the model demonstrates the softness of the suspension. The falcon doors don’t open quite as smoothly as on the real things, but they’re made out of plastic bricks, so—. The front doors also operate automatically, just like in the actual vehicle. The Lego Model X can even do something the real Model X can’t—open its doors while moving. Inside, a paper cutout of the vertical infotainment screen is mounted to the dash. Because it’s not officially sanctioned by Lego, the kit for this Model X build isn’t for sale anywhere, but its creators at RoboticLife are offering the build instructions for just US$2. Hit them up on Facebook if you want in.
Origin: This functioning Tesla Model X is the latest rad Lego fan-build
Autopilot was on when Tesla hit semi trailer in fatal crash: safety board
A Tesla Model 3 involved in a March 1 fatal crash in Florida was being driven by the vehicle’s semi-autonomous Autopilot system and the driver’s hands weren’t on the steering wheel, according to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board. The driver was killed when the car slammed into the side of a semi-truck that was crossing a highway in Delray Beach, the NTSB said in a preliminary report released Thursday. The driver apparently wasn’t steering in the eight seconds before the collision, according to NTSB. “Preliminary vehicle data show that the Tesla was traveling about 68 mph (109 km/h) when it struck the semitrailer,” the report said. “Neither the preliminary data nor the videos indicate that the driver or the ADAS executed evasive maneuvers.” ADAS refers to Tesla’s advanced driver assistance system. The NTSB used video from a nearby surveillance camera showing the collision and the video devices that Teslas use to help them steer and perform other functions. “We are deeply saddened by this accident and our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy,” Tesla said in an emailed statement. The company informed NTSB and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the Autopilot activation after reviewing the car’s computerized data log, the company said. The crash is the latest Tesla accident under investigation by the NTSB and is strikingly similar to 2016 case in which a Model S hit the side of a truck without braking. In that fatal collision, the NTSB found that the design of Tesla Autopilot system was partially responsible for the crash and issued two recommendations to the company and other manufacturers to improve the safety of such partially autonomous driving tools. Among the NTSB’s findings was that the car’s sensors weren’t designed to identify the side of the truck and, therefore, didn’t slow the car. The NTSB preliminary report on the March 1 collision doesn’t spell out what the car’s sensors detected as the vehicle approached the truck. The safety board is also looking at another fatal crash involving Autopilot in 2018 in California. In that case, a Model X struck a concrete highway barrier, killing the driver. NTSB investigators are also probing how the electric Tesla’s batteries behave after accidents following several
Origin: Autopilot was on when Tesla hit semi trailer in fatal crash: safety board
Tesla updates software after parked car caught fire in Hong Kong
Tesla is rolling out a software update for two of its electric vehicles, including the flagship Model S, to beef up battery safety as part of a probe into a vehicle fire in Hong Kong. The over-the-air updates will revise the charge and thermal-management settings for the Model S and X, Tesla said in a statement. The company said it’s acting “out of an abundance of caution,” insisting the vehicles are 10 times less likely to experience a blaze than their gas-fueled equivalents. A Tesla Model S suddenly caught fire in a parking lot at San Po Kong Plaza on May 12, the Hong Kong Economic Times reported. Hong Kong’s Fire Services Department has confirmed it’s investigating a fire, without identifying the make of the car. Recent vehicle fires have raised concern over the safety of electric vehicles in China, the top market. In 2018, the country recorded at least 40 fire-related incidents involving new-energy vehicles, which includes pure battery electric, hybrid plug-in and fuel-cell vehicles, according to the State Administration for Market Regulation. In its statement, Tesla said it had a team in Hong Kong to support its customer and establish the facts. “While our investigation with authorities is ongoing, we have found that only a few battery modules were affected and the majority of the battery pack is undamaged,” Tesla said. NIO, a Tesla rival, said last month one of its ES8 electric vehicles caught fire in the northwestern Chinese city of Xi’an while being repaired. Tesla earlier confirmed it was examining an incident in Shanghai after a car bearing the company’s logo was shown in an April social media video emitting smoke before bursting into
Origin: Tesla updates software after parked car caught fire in Hong Kong
VW adds electric-car plants in China to overtake Tesla numbers
VWs power bank for electric cars—the companys solution for a mobile quick-charging station.Handout / Volkswagen In about a year, Volkswagen Group may catch up to Tesla’s capacity to make electric cars. VW said Tuesday it is building two plants in China to produce a total of 600,000 vehicles on its dedicated battery-car platform, MEB. The new factories in Anting and Foshan will open a few months after Germany’s Zwickau, which will assemble as many as 330,000 cars annually and is slated to get started by year-end. Following through with plans to reach this level of scale will likely leave Tesla trailing behind. Its lone vehicle assembly plant operating in Fremont, California, can make about 500,000 cars. The electric-car leader expects to start output on the outskirts of Shanghai at the end of this year and produce 250,000 vehicles a year initially. VW has little time to lose after Tesla resolved manufacturing problems in Fremont and its battery factory near Reno, Nevada, which may start also building Model Y crossovers. While Model 3 sedan deliveries tailed off in the first quarter following a strong second half of 2018, CEO Elon Musk has dismissed concerns about demand and stuck to a forecast for as many as 400,000 vehicle deliveries this year. VW plans to produce some 70 battery-powered models across its 12 auto brands by 2028 and make 22 million electric cars over the next decade. CEO Herbert Diess, who says alternative technologies like fuel-cell cars will struggle to compete, is helming the auto industry’s biggest effort in the transition from combustion engines costing some 30 billion euros (US$34 billion). Volkswagen leads the competition on e-mobility, Diess said in speech notes at the company’s annual meeting in Berlin. As a company, we’ll make a success of the electric car—with the right products, superior underpinnings and global economies of scale. The German automaker, which is also considering sites for more electric-car plants, this month opened reservations for its electric ID3 hatchback. It’s garnered more than 15,000 orders from buyers putting down 1,000-euro deposits. Tesla, meanwhile, is mulling a factory in Germany, Musk said in a tweet last month. Last year, he stated that Europe’s No. 1 market was the leading choice for a car and battery site in
Origin: VW adds electric-car plants in China to overtake Tesla numbers
News Roundup: Tesla gets wet, the Kia Telluride debuts strong and Ford confirms a hybrid Bronco
Welcome to our weekly round-up of the biggest breaking stories on Driving.ca from this past week. Get caught up and ready to get on with the weekend, because it’s hard keeping pace in a digital traffic jam. Here’s what you missed while you were away. Watch a Model S drive down a flooded street, water up to its door jambs If this isn’t a commercial for Tesla then I don’t know what is. pic.twitter.com/Fid0A9L2lr Richard Richter (@Ricardo_Lee_) May 3, 2019 Just because a Tesla could drive through a flood doesn’t mean it should. In fact, as Driving’s in-house mechanical expert Brian Turner points out, the fact that the machine is basically one giant electrical system on wheels means it definitely should not be driven through water. Yet there’s this recent Twitter video showing a Model S driving down a flooded street, submerged in water at least a foot high. Not only are the risks of imminent failure high, says Turner, but there may be long-term effects as well, as “a wet connector can play havoc with these signals, and the water-shielding will keep moisture in…” So, don’t try this at home. People are making Tesla autopilot porn now A modified Tesla Model X drives in the tunnel entrance before an unveiling event for the Boring Co. Hawthorne test tunnel in Hawthorne, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018. Elon Musk unveiled his underground transportation tunnel on Tuesday, allowing reporters and invited guests to take some of the first rides in the revolutionary albeit bumpy subterranean tube the tech entrepreneur’s answer to what he calls soul-destroying traffic. (Robyn Beck/Pool Photo via AP) Robyn Beck / AP If it’s larger than a breadbox and contains an atmosphere with even a little bit of oxygen, people will find a way to have sex in it. It was only a matter of time, then, that Tesla’s Autopilot feature was used to turn the interior of one of the brand’s EVs into a rolling porno set. That moment arrived earlier this week when ‘Tesla’ became the top search term on popular porn site Pornhub thanks to a new video featuring adult entertainer Taylor Jackson, some guy and a Model X with Autopilot engaged. And judging by the viral nature of the upload, it’s pretty safe to say this won’t be the last Autopilot porn we see. Did Pornhub just get a new category? The 2020 Telluride leaves a lasting first impression 2020 Kia Telluride Nick Tragianis / Driving The world doesn’t need just another SUV, but it may need this one. Driving’s Nick Tragianis was in Banff, Alberta recently to test out the new three-row truckster from the South Korean company. After falling for its peppy and hearty-sounding V6 engine and convenient AWD setup, immensely spacious interior with generous infotainment system, and reasonable price range, he came to his conclusion: “Kia will sell every single one of these.” Ram’s getting a new midsize truck is in the works, and it’s not going to be built on the Gladiator Even older pickups – like the Dodge Dakota that’s been discontinued for quite some time – can still charm pickup buyers. Handout / Dodge Ram has set its sights on a new midsize truck to help fill out its lineup. Automotive News reports that Ram boss Mike Manley is aware of the “clear hole in (Ram’s) portfolio” and promises the team is “focused” on finding the solution. Contrary to previous rumours, it appears the new product won’t be based on the Gladiator platform. And in other good news for Ram fans, the popular and more affordable Ram Classic will remain on sale through 2019. Missouri HOA says this truck is too old, threatens to foreclose on owner’s home Some people have no taste. Like members of the Missouri HOA, for example, who recently threatened to foreclose a man’s house over his truck, which allegedly shows “severe body damage”—parking such a heap in his own driveway goes against HOA rules, they argue. But the truck’s owner claims the 1965 Ford F-250 runs perfectly and is “beautiful the way it is.” Take a look and you tell us: is the old Ford pickup wearing ‘charming patina’ or ‘severe body damage’? Overloaded Chevy sedan sparks outrage on Ontario highway This is not how you carry wide loads in a car. David Fafinski / Facebook Innovative? Perhaps? Dangerous? Absolutely. Video of a Chevrolet Lumina sedan driving along in the right lane of a major highway near Burlington, Ontario with its rear doors and trunk open and bursting with what appears to be various pieces of large furniture and building supplies has inspired our columnist Lorraine Sommerfeld to pull out her soapbox and megaphone. Preach, Lorraine, preach! Should this person be applauded for their innovation and organizational skills, or arrested for stunt driving? You know where Lorraine stands, now put on your own Judgy-Pants and vote in our online poll here. There will be a 2020 Ford Bronco hybrid A teaser image of Ford’s upcoming production Bronco off-road SUV. Ford / Ford Ford is taking another step toward its goal of electrifying
Origin: News Roundup: Tesla gets wet, the Kia Telluride debuts strong and Ford confirms a hybrid Bronco
All about car 