When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Yeah I have stock in Disney and they suck! Stock has plummeted the last couple of years but I’m still in a gain position. I still watch their content and some of their stuff is getting worse and worse. There is always an underlying political message in everything they put out these days.
TBH, I had no idea Disney + was installed in my Tesla 😂
Tesla VP responds to US Senator’s misinformed take on Autopilot recall
Tesla’s 2-million-vehicle Autopilot “recall” involved the company releasing software version 2023.44.30 as a free over-the-air update to affected vehicles. With their updated software in place, Tesla’s electric vehicles would be able to display more prominent alerts to drivers who are using features like Autopilot and Full Self-Driving, among other things.
Considering the fact that the Autopilot recall was the result of a years-long investigation from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the changes that were required by the safety agency were surprisingly minor. For one, the recall did not temper down or remove any Autopilot or FSD features. It simply made the features more difficult to abuse.
But a 2 Million-Vehicle Tesla recall is still sensationalist news, and in a recent series of posts, US Senator Richard Blumenthal opted to make his stance known. The Senator noted that the NHTSA recall is far from sufficient, and that the agency “must put its legal muscle where its mouth is.” Blumenthal’s comments caught quite a bit of criticism considering its tone, which was notably alarmist for an over-the-air software update.
“This Tesla recall is only a first step—far from sufficient. NHTSA must meet the breadth of Tesla Autopilot safety flaws—virtually every Tesla on American roads is now under recall—with real action & enforcement. Many use features on roads where they weren’t designed to work reliably. This danger puts everyone at risk. The record of Tesla crashes, fatalities & injuries should be bone chilling to regulators. Musk mocking them is hardly cause for comfort or complacency. NHTSA must put its legal muscle where its mouth is,” Blumenthal wrote.
Among those who responded to the US Senator’s comments was Tesla VP of Public Policy and Business Development Rohan Patel. As per Patel, the Tesla team is looking forward to working even with its most aggressive critics, though the company also stands by its data, which shows that systems like Autopilot — when used as intended and not abused — are significantly safer than a human driver.
“Apparently Senator Blumenthal missed my previous post below, but we’ll continue to try and correct his misunderstandings and misstatements. If the Senator took the time to meet with our hardware and software safety teams, he wouldn’t just get an education. He’d be inspired by their work. If I were his constituent in Connecticut, I’d at least want him educated on the data and facts.
“In case anyone is wondering, yes we have made earnest attempts by other means to educate and provide our best data and safety evidence. Figured I’d give X a try also!” the Tesla VP
While Elon Musk has mostly served as Tesla’s de facto spokesperson over the years, it is pretty encouraging to see other executives step up and provide context and insights about the company’s data and its technologies. With Musk essentially playing the role of a joker in the world’s deck of cars today, after all, executives such as Patel and IR Head Martin Viecha, who are well-versed in social media, could express Tesla’s stance on issues — all without the usual Elon Musk drama. And that, ultimately, is something that the EV maker needs at this point.
Tesla recalls 120,000 vehicles over potentially faulty doors that could open in a crash
Affected vehicles include the 2021 to 2023 Tesla Model S luxury sedan and the Model X SUV. Tesla is recalling more than 120,000 vehicles over doors that fail to comply with U.S. government regulations.
In a letter posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website Thursday, Tesla acknowledged the affected doors can be unlocked during a crash, which could cause the door to unlatch and open, increasing the risk of injury.
Affected vehicles include Tesla Models S and X manufactured for model years 2021 through 2023. Tesla said it was not aware of any injuries as a result of the issue as of Dec. 14.
As a remedy, Tesla is releasing an over-the-air (OTA) software update free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be sent out Feb. 17.
Last week, Tesla announced a recall for nearly all its U.S. vehicles — some 2 million — due to concerns about the safety of its autopilot driver-assistance feature. A federal investigation found that its autosteer function may have led some drivers to abandon responsibility for the operation of their vehicles.
That recall came after one in February affecting more than 360,000 vehicles related to Tesla's “full self-driving” software.
Tesla did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
In a post last week on X, formerly known as Twitter,
accusing some news outlets of misconstruing "the nature of our safety systems," adding that "incontrovertible data" shows Tesla's features are "saving lives and preventing injury."
Elon Musk owns X and Tesla.
A NHTSA spokesperson told NBC News last week that its investigation into Tesla's autopilot features “remains open as we monitor the efficacy of Tesla’s remedies and continue to work with the automaker to ensure the highest level of safety.”
Saw a project highland model 3 on the road today in that new red color. On the rear window and front door, it was labeled as "Engineering vehicle". Front end looked really good, like the future Tesla roadster, but rear end taillights didn't look as good to me as pictures. Anyway, I snapped a photo or two. Oddly, it had Chinese character on the back so pretty cool its from the China plant most likely.
Saw a project highland model 3 on the road today in that new red color. On the rear window and front door, it was labeled as "Engineering vehicle". Front end looked really good, like the future Tesla roadster, but rear end taillights didn't look as good to me as pictures. Anyway, I snapped a photo or two. Oddly, it had Chinese character on the back so pretty cool its from the China plant most likely.
all of them are produced in China for now, i guess it means it is earlier version as deliveries in Europe have been happening for more than a month. I see a ton of them already.
12-19-23, 08:29 PM
