News
Volkswagen software issues put ID.3 launch at risk as e-Golf gets abruptly retired in US
Volkswagen’s road to a fully-electric lineup has taken a slight detour as its ID.3 has been plagued with a software issue. Glitches found in the system could require Volkswagen to reschedule the vehicle’s launch that was planned for Summer 2020.
The flaws in Volkswagen’s software are coming from the basic architecture that was developed too quickly according to German media publication Manager Magazin, citing expert accounts that the software was rushed and likely contributed to the issues.
The software’s elements do not understand each other according to Manager Magazin’s report and this is causing difficulties within the ID.3’s computer system.
Volkswagen has even summoned the help of hundreds of test drivers who are responsible for navigating the car for company research. Some drivers have reported up to 300 errors a day within the ID.3’s software, an issue that 10,000 VW technicians are currently working toward fixing.
Despite the issues, Volkswagen spokespeople told Automotive News Europe that the ID.3 will be released this summer and the software problems will not set back the German auto manufacturer’s plans.
The ID.3 is expected to be a direct competitor to the Tesla Model 3, with the vehicle’s base models costing less than 30,000 Euros in Germany. It is the first electric vehicle based on the Modular Electric Propulsion Platform developed by Volkswagen. The same platform will be introduced to other Volkswagen vehicles, including the ID.4 crossover.
In addition to the woes with Volkswagen ID.3’s software, Volkswagen’s e-Golf will not be sold in the United States according to Cars Direct.
A company press release in August 2019 showed each of Volkswagen’s planned released for 2020. In late October, a revised version of the list was released and the e-Golf was removed after the company stated there would be no 2020 model.
In late February, VW spokesman Mark Gilles declined to confirm that the vehicle had been discontinued as a whole, but he did say the 2020 e-Golf production would take place in Canada and not the United States.
This comes as somewhat of a surprise considering the Environmental Protection Agency released the e-Golf’s range ratings just a week prior to Gillies’ statements about the vehicle. The results of the range ratings showed the 2019 model actually had more range than the new 2020 e-Golf.
This could be one of the reasons for the company’s decision to halt its plans to compete with some of the U.S. market’s electric cars like the Model 3, the Nissan Leaf, and the Chevy Bolt EV. Each of these cars has more range than the e-Golf.
While Volkswagen continues to invest time and money into its vision of a fully-electric future. While the company has encountered speed bumps along the way, company employees are facing the issues head-on, especially when it comes to the problems with the ID.3’s software.
News
Tesla is making two big upgrades to the Model 3, coding shows
According to coding found in the European and Chinese configurators, Tesla is planning to make two big upgrades: Black Headliner offerings and a new 16-inch QHD display, similar to that on the Model Y Performance.
Tesla is making two big upgrades to the Model 3, one of which is widely requested by owners and fans, and another that it has already started to make on some trim levels of other models within the lineup.
The changes appear to be taking effect in the European and Chinese markets, but these are expected to come to the United States based on what Tesla has done with the Model Y.
According to coding found in the European and Chinese configurators, Tesla is planning to make two big upgrades: Black Headliner offerings and a new 16-inch QHD display, similar to that on the Model Y Performance.
These changes in the coding were spotted by X user BERKANT, who shared the findings on the social media platform this morning:
🚨 Model 3 changes spotted in Tesla backend
• New interior code: IN3PB (Interior 3 Premium Black)
• Linked to Alcantara-style black headliner
• Mapped to 2026 Model 3 Performance and Premium VINs• EPC now shows: “Display_16_QHD”
• Multiple 2026 builds marked with… pic.twitter.com/OkDM5EdbTu— BERKANT (@Tesla_NL_TR) February 23, 2026
It appears these new upgrades will roll out with the Model 3 Performance and Tesla’s Premium trim levels of the all-electric sedan.
The changes are welcome. Tesla fans have been requesting that its Model 3 and Model Y offerings receive a black headliner, as even with the black interior options, the headliner is grey.
Tesla recently upgraded Model Y vehicles to this black headliner option, even in the United States, so it seems as if the Model 3 will get the same treatment as it appears to be getting in the Eastern hemisphere.
Tesla has been basically accentuating the Model 3 and Model Y with small upgrades that owners have been wanting, and it has been a focal point of the company’s future plans as it phases out other vehicles like the Model S and Model X.
Additionally, Tesla offered an excellent 0.99% APR last week on the Model 3, hoping to push more units out the door to support a strong Q1 delivery figure at the beginning of April.
Elon Musk
SpaceX secures FAA approval for 44 annual Starship launches in Florida
The FAA’s environmental review covers up to 44 launches annually, along with 44 Super Heavy booster landings and 44 upper-stage landings.
SpaceX has received environmental approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct up to 44 Starship-Super Heavy launches per year from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A in Florida.
The decision allows the company to proceed with plans tied to its next-generation launch system and future satellite deployments.
The FAA’s environmental review covers up to 44 launches annually, along with 44 Super Heavy booster landings and 44 upper-stage landings. The approval concludes the agency’s public comment period and outlines required mitigation measures related to noise, emissions, wildlife, and airspace management.
Construction of Starship infrastructure at Launch Complex 39A is nearing completion. The site, previously used for Apollo and space shuttle missions, is transitioning to support Starship operations, as noted in a Florida Today report.
If fully deployed across Kennedy Space Center and nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Starship activity on the Space Coast could exceed 120 launches annually, excluding tests. Separately, the U.S. Air Force has authorized repurposing Space Launch Complex 37 for potential additional Starship activity, pending further FAA airspace analysis.
The approval supports SpaceX’s long-term strategy, which includes deploying a large constellation of satellites intended to power space-based artificial intelligence data infrastructure. The company has previously indicated that expanded Starship capacity will be central to that effort.
The FAA review identified likely impacts from increased noise, nitrogen oxide emissions, and temporary airspace closures. Commercial flights may experience periodic delays during launch windows. The agency, however, determined these effects would be intermittent and manageable through scheduling, public notification, and worker safety protocols.
Wildlife protections are required under the approval, Florida Today noted. These include lighting controls to protect sea turtles, seasonal monitoring of scrub jays and beach mice, and restrictions on offshore landings to avoid coral reefs and right whale critical habitat. Recovery vessels must also carry trained observers to prevent collisions with protected marine species.
Elon Musk
Texas township wants The Boring Company to build it a Loop system
The township’s board unanimously approved an application to The Boring Company’s “Tunnel Vision Challenge.”
The Woodlands Township, Texas, has formally entered The Boring Company’s tunneling sweepstakes.
The township’s board unanimously approved an application to The Boring Company’s “Tunnel Vision Challenge,” which offers up to one mile of tunnel construction at no cost to a selected community.
The Woodlands’ proposal, dubbed “The Current,” features two parallel 12-foot-diameter tunnels beneath the Town Center corridor near The Waterway. Teslas would shuttle passengers between Waterway Square, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Town Green Park and nearby hotels during concerts and large-scale events, as noted in a Chron report.
Township officials framed the tunnel as a solution for the township’s traffic congestion issues. The Pavilion alone hosts more than 60 shows each year and can accommodate crowds of up to 16,500, often straining Lake Robbins Drive and surrounding intersections.
“We know we have traffic impacts and pedestrian movement challenges, especially in the Town Center area,” Chris Nunes, chief operating officer of The Woodlands Township, stated during the meeting.
“The Current” mirrors the Loop system operating beneath the Las Vegas Convention Center, where Tesla vehicles transport passengers through underground tunnels between venues and resorts.
The Boring Company issued its request for proposals (RFP) in mid-January, inviting cities and districts to pitch local uses for its tunneling technology. The Woodlands must submit its application by Feb. 23, though no timeline has been provided for when a winning community will be announced.
Nunes confirmed that the board has authorized a submission for “The Current’s” proposal, though he emphasized that the project is still in its preliminary stages.
“The Woodlands Township Board of Directors has authorized staff to submit an application to The Boring Company, which has issued an RFP for communities interested in leveraging their technology to address community challenges,” he said in a statement.
“The Board believes that an underground tunnel would provide a safe and efficient means to transport people to and from various high-use community amenities in our Town Center.”
Tesla is making two big upgrades to the Model 3, coding shows
SpaceX secures FAA approval for 44 annual Starship launches in Florida
