YouTuber WhistlinDiesel could have taken a more conservative approach to his test of the Cybertruck, but instead we get a balls-to-the-wall, absolutely over-the-top series of stunts and bad decisions that practically leaves the electric truck a pile rubble at the end. Tune in for the evisceration of the Cybertruck’s tow hitch, stay for the part where he straps C4 to the tailgate.
I tend to agree with Jalopnik’s Andy Kalmowitz’s take that people complain too much about being distracted by all the new tech in their cars. You can see it in the surveys of new vehicle owners, where infotainment ranks high among the many hassles. But automakers are getting better about consolidating information on the main screen, and the reduction of hard buttons is certainly cleaner to look at.
Maybe, just maybe, the real distraction isn’t the touchscreens or the ambient lightning. Could it be the pocket computers we take with us everywhere?
The family of a motorcyclist killed by a Tesla Model 3 driver using Autopilot is suing the company for knowingly releasing “defective and inadequate” software, Reuters says. Its the latest in a growing volume of wrongful death suits targeting Tesla’s driver assist features. The company has fought some, settled others, so how it responds to this one remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, another motorcyclist was killed last April by a Tesla driver using Full Self-Driving.
The company just got hit with its fifth round of layoffs since April 2021, TechCrunch reports. It’s not clear how many employees are out of work, or which divisions were affected, but TC’s sources suggest most came from product development. Seattle-based Rad Power Bikes has accepted at least $300 million from investors, which in hindsight may not have been the best move for a company in an industry with tight margins and an extremely complex supply chain.
The company will unveil its purpose-built autonomous vehicle October 10th, after previously delaying the event to allow more work on the prototype, Elon Musk said during an earnings call. The reveal was originally schedule to take place August 8th. “I wanted to make some important changes that I think would improve the vehicle,” Musk added.
The company is opening a new kind of EV charging station in Groveland, CA, just outside of Yosemite National Park. In addition to five charging plugs, the site will also serve as place to get snacks, learn more about EV ownership, and even drop off recyclables in an effort to keep the park clean. The plugs are only available to Rivian owners for now, but the company plans on accommodating non-Rivian EVs eventually.
