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      Elon Musk doubles-down on Tesla robotaxis in TV interview

      news.movim.eu / ArsTechnica · Wednesday, 17 May, 2023 - 12:53

    The Tesla Cybertruck during a tour of the Elkhorn Battery Energy Storage System in Moss Landing, California, U.S., on Monday, June 6, 2022. PG&E and Tesla Inc. have built the 182.5-megawatt battery energy storage project at the utilitys Moss Landing substation near Monterey Bay.

    Enlarge / The Tesla Cybertruck during a tour of the Elkhorn Battery Energy Storage System in Moss Landing, California, on Monday, June 6, 2022. This week, Musk said that it would go into production this year, with an annual rate of between 250,000-500,000 vehicles. (credit: Nic Coury/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

    On Tuesday afternoon, after the close of the stock market, Tesla held its annual meeting . Tesla CEO Elon Musk told rapturous attendees that 2023 would finally see the Cybertruck go into production and that an example of the angular stainless-steel pickup would be his daily driver. He also confirmed some previously reported facts, like a move to reduce silicon carbide power electronics in drive units , then gave a presentation on the company's humanoid robotics program.

    Following the annual meeting, Musk sat down for an interview with David Faber on CNBC. In the interview, Musk was questioned on a number of topics concerning Tesla.

    TV spots for Tesla commercials?

    During Tesla's annual meeting, and in response to shareholders, Musk conceded that perhaps Tesla should engage in more formal advertising.

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      Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” sees pedestrian, chooses not to slow down

      news.movim.eu / ArsTechnica · Tuesday, 16 May, 2023 - 14:33 · 1 minute

    A screenshot of a video showing a Tesla detecting a pedestrian crossing at a crosswalk but not slowing down for them

    Enlarge / This Tesla can clearly detect the pedestrian as they appear on the infotainment display. But the car continues past them, only slowing from 26 mph to 24 mph after it passes the crosswalk. California law requires drivers to come to a complete stop for pedestrians at crosswalks. (credit: Twitter/Whole Mars Blog)

    Tesla released a new version of its controversial "Full Self-Driving Beta" software last month. Among the updates in version 11.4 are new algorithms determining the car's behavior around pedestrians. But alarmingly, a video posted to Twitter over the weekend shows that although the Tesla system can see pedestrians crossing the road, a Tesla can choose not to stop or even slow down as it drives past.

    The video was posted by the Whole Mars Catalog account, a high-profile pro-Tesla account with more than 300,000 followers. The tweet , which has been viewed 1.7 million times, featured a five-second video clip with the accompanying text:

    One of the most bullish / exciting things I've seen on Tesla Full Self-Driving Beta 11.4.1.

    It detected the pedestrian, but rather than slamming on the brakes it just proceeded through like a human would knowing there was enough time to do so.

    The person posting the video then clarified that it was filmed in San Francisco and that anyone not OK with this driving behavior must be unfamiliar with city life . (As someone who has lived in big cities all his life, I am definitely not OK with cars not stopping for pedestrians at a crosswalk.)

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      Tesla to recall 362,758 cars because Full Self Driving Beta is dangerous

      news.movim.eu / ArsTechnica · Thursday, 16 February, 2023 - 19:39

    Four Teslas parked in a row

    Enlarge / If you own a Tesla with FSD Beta, there's a recall in your future. (credit: Tesla)

    On Thursday Tesla had to issue a recall for nearly 363,000 of its electric vehicles. At issue is the company's highly controversial "Full Self Driving" Beta, which the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration believes is dangerous.

    NHTSA has four principal complaints with the driver-assistance system:

    The FSD Beta system may allow the vehicle to act unsafe around intersections, such as traveling straight through an intersection while in a turn-only lane, entering a stop sign-controlled intersection without coming to a complete stop, or proceeding into an intersection during a steady yellow traffic signal without due caution.

    Additionally, NHTSA says that "the system may respond insufficiently to changes in posted speed limits or not adequately account for the driver's adjustment of the vehicle's speed to exceed posted speed limits."

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