News
Intel CEO believes autonomous driving data is the new oil
The LA Auto Show may be remembered more for its technologies than the actual cars it showcased. That’s because automakers and technology companies are no longer isolated; instead, they’re part of a new and fascinating picture in which, when it comes to the future of automobiles, “data is the new oil.”
Intel CEO Brian Krzanich, delivering a keynote address at the Automobility LA conference (as part of the LA Auto Show) on Nov. 15, described the confluence of automobiles, data dependence, and connectivity as being equally valuable as an integrated whole as automobiles currently are on oil. Krzanich stated,
“We are in a time when technology is valued not just for the devices it produces, but for the experiences it makes possible. Data has the potential to radically change the way we think about the driving experience: as consumers, as automakers, as technologists, and as citizens of our communities,”
Intel’s interest in self-driving vehicles has grown over the last year after acquiring machine vision company, Itseez, Inc. this past May. With Itseez in its portfolio, Intel is developing algorithms and implementations of computer vision around automobiles, among other applications. Additionally, a partnership with BMW and system-on-a-chip maker and ex-Tesla partner Mobileye may produce an open platform for designing autonomous vehicles.
“It’s not enough just to capture the data,” Krzanich argued. “We have to turn the data into an actionable set of insights to get the full value out of it. To do that requires an end-to-end computing solution from the car through the network and to the cloud — and strong connectivity.”
Krzanich’ keynote speech marks the first time that Intel, the semiconductor conglomerate, has ever had a prominent role at an automobile show. It follows an editorial that he wrote earlier in the year in which he outlined five key points to accelerate Intel’s transformation from a PC company to a company that powers the cloud and billions of smart, connected computing devices. According to Krzanich:
- The cloud is the most important trend shaping the future of the smart, connected world. Virtualization and software are increasingly defining infrastructure in the cloud and data center.
- The many “things” that make up the PC Client business and the Internet of Things are made much more valuable by their connection to the cloud. The Internet of Things encompasses all smart devices – every device, sensor, console and any other client device – that are connected to the cloud. Everything that a “thing” does can be captured as a piece of data, measured real-time, and is accessible from anywhere. The biggest opportunity in the Internet of Things is its ubiquity.
- Memory and programmable solutions such as FPGAs, which are integrated circuits that can be programmed in the field after manufacture, will deliver entirely new classes of products for the data center and the Internet of Things. Breakthrough innovations and products to the cloud and data center infrastructure are revolutionizing the performance and architecture of the data center, with growth for years to come.
- 5G will become the key technology for access to the cloud, providing computing power to a device and connecting it to the cloud makes it more valuable. The example of the autonomous vehicle, with its need for connectivity to the cloud alongside the cloud’s need for machine learning capabilities, requires the most up-to-date algorithms and data sets to allow the vehicle to operate safely. In this way, connectivity is fundamental to every one of the cloud-to-thing segments we will drive.
- Moore’s Law, in which Intel co-founder Gordon Moore in 1965 noticed that the number of transistors per square inch on integrated circuits had doubled every year since their invention, will continue. This concept has fueled the recent technology revolution.
Krzanich elaborated at the Automobility LA conference that autonomous cars may soon utilize sensors from LIDAR, sonar, and radar, as well as GPS and cameras. A single autonomous vehicle could generate approximately 4 terabytes (4,000 GB) of data daily. “Every autonomous car will generate the data equivalent of almost 3,000 people. Extrapolate this further and think about how many cars are on the road. Let’s estimate just 1 million autonomous cars worldwide — that means automated driving will be representative of the data of 3 billion people,” Krzanich said.
The keynote speech augmented an Intel press statement that its Capital division will invest $250 million over the next two years into developing technologies around autonomous vehicles, which are “areas where technology can directly mitigate risks while improving safety, mobility, and efficiency at a reduced cost; and companies that harness the value of the data to improve reliability of automated driving systems.”
Source: Brian Krzanich Editorial
Elon Musk
Tesla’s next-gen Optimus prototype with Grok revealed
The video shows a new Optimus prototype answering questions and taking some very robotic steps, evidently revealing that the next-generation version is in its early stages of development.
Tesla’s next-generation Optimus robot with AI assistant Grok has been revealed in a new video shared on X.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk was with Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff last night, and it appears the frontman gave Benioff an exclusive look at some upcoming technology.
Tesla talks Semi ramp, Optimus, Robotaxi rollout, FSD with Wall Street firm
The video shows a new Optimus prototype answering questions and taking some very robotic steps, evidently revealing that the next-generation version is in its early stages of development. It features Grok for some additional utility, as it answered questions Benioff asked in the short video.
Here’s what was uploaded to X:
Crazy look at Tesla Optimus from Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, who was hanging out with Elon Musk yesterday!
Love this gold color on you @Tesla_Optimus https://t.co/NGgDqVVf1g pic.twitter.com/q8286aBNKy
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) September 3, 2025
It appears that there are several big changes to this next-generation version of Optimus, some of which have been discussed by Musk and Tesla in the past.
The first is purely cosmetic, but the gold color that Optimus is wearing in this is a new and fresh look that we have not seen before.
Perhaps the most interesting change that is evident here is the hands, which are much more detailed than past versions of Optimus:
However, we’re not too sure that these are what will be released with the next-gen Optimus, because they don’t appear to be functional, and they are more reminiscent of mannequin hands than anything.
The hands on Optimus have been a significant part of the program, as they are among the most crucial pieces of equipment on a robot. It needs to be able to perform both delicate and more imposing tasks. Tesla has aimed for Optimus to be able to thread needles or play the piano.
It was one of the most discussed improvements the company mentioned in past comments regarding how it planned to improve from Gen 2 to this next version.
Musk mentioned regarding Optimus:
“Next-generation Optimus hand, which we have in prototype form, has actuators that have moved to the forearm, just like humans, and they operate the fingers through cables, just like human hands.”
Within Optimus lies a significant opportunity for Tesla to gain considerable strength in terms of market share and valuation.
If Tesla can efficiently develop and deploy the humanoid robot over the next several years, the company stands to gain, as companies will utilize it for tasks that require tedious labor.
Musk recently said Optimus will be a major contributor to Tesla’s valuation moving forward. He believes it will make up roughly 80 percent of the company’s value.
Elon Musk
Tesla CEO Elon Musk to provide more details for Master Plan Part IV
Musk stated that he would be adding specifics to the plan in a later update.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk will be adding more specifics to the recently-released Master Plan Part IV. Musk shared the update on social media platform X amidst conversations about the general nature of the Master Plan Part IV.
In a conversation on X, Musk responded to a post from Tesla retail shareholder and bull Dave Lee, who observed that the currently released Master Plan Part IV could really just be the introduction to the real plan due to its absence of specifics.
Elon Musk responded, stating that he would be adding specifics to the plan in a later update. “Fair enough. Will add more specifics,” Musk wrote in his post.
Tesla has been following Elon Musk’s Master Plans for decades. The first Master Plan, released in 2006, outlined the company’s path from the original Tesla Roadster to the Model 3, as well as the first steps for Tesla Energy. Master Plan Part Deux, released in 2016, covered the ramp of Tesla Energy, the expansion of Tesla’s vehicle lineup, and the rollout of a Robotaxi service.
Master Plan Part 3 was more ambitious as it was generally an in-depth proposal for achieving a global sustainable entry economy by transitioning to electricity-powered vehicles, homes, and industry, which will, in turn, be powered by renewable energy sources like solar and wind. Master Plan Part 3 also included a five-step plan to accomplish this, allowing the world to transition to a fully electrified future.
Master Plan Part IV, which was released a few days ago, focused on automation and artificial intelligence to achieve sustainable abundance. But while the first two Master Plans were very clear and specific and Master Plan Part 3 was very in-depth, Master Plan Part IV was quite general and vague in comparison. It was easy to tell that Optimus would play a big role in the pursuit of sustainable abundance, but apart from that, there were no specifics as to how Tesla intended to achieve its goals.
Fortunately, these specifics would be discussed by Musk in a later update to the plan.
News
Tesla just had its best wholesale month this year in China
Tesla China’s wholesale figures include both vehicles that are sold domestically and exported abroad.
Tesla China just had its best wholesale month this 2025 so far. In August, the electric vehicle maker sold 83,192 vehicles wholesale, a 22.55% increase compared to July 2025’s 67,886 units.
Tesla China’s wholesale figures are still down year-over-year, but the company’s momentum seems notable, especially with the arrival of the Model Y L.
August 2025 figures
As noted in a CNEV Post report, August 2025’s 83,192 wholesale figures are 4.04% less than the 86,697 units that were sold in the same period last year. It is, however, a 22.55% improvement from the previous month. From January to August, Tesla China sold 515,552 units wholesale, a 12.24% year-over-year decrease.
It should be noted that Tesla China’s wholesale figures include both vehicles that are sold domestically and exported abroad. With this in mind, August’s results bode well for Tesla China, as it suggests that Gigafactory Shanghai is now hitting its pace with both its domestic deliveries and its exports. Giga Shanghai serves as Tesla’s primary vehicle export hub.
Model Y L factor
Tesla had a challenging first quarter this year, thanks in part to the changeover to the Model Y across the Fremont factory, Giga Texas, Giga Shanghai, and Giga Berlin-Brandenburg. This changeover resulted in low sales in the first quarter. Political controversies surrounding Elon Musk and violence against Tesla stores and vehicles in the first and second quarters in the United States and Europe did not help much either.
This Q3, however, Tesla seems to be hitting its stride, especially in China. The launch of the new Model Y L has allowed Tesla to compete in the six-seat, large SUV segment, a market that was previously closed to the standard Model Y. Reports have suggested that Tesla China has been seeing a lot of demand for the Model Y L, which should help the company achieve higher sales this quarter and the remaining months of the year.
Tesla’s next-gen Optimus prototype with Grok revealed
Tesla CEO Elon Musk to provide more details for Master Plan Part IV
Tesla just had its best wholesale month this year in China
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