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Boring Co. partner LVCVA obtains Vegas Monorail, making way for Vegas Loop expansion

Credit: Yogonet

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The Boring Company’s partner in the Vegas Loop development, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), has officially obtained the Vegas Monorail. The Monorail is the only mass-transit system in Vegas that runs parallel with the Strip, but it went bankrupt due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After the bankruptcy, the LVCVA purchased the Monorail system for $24.2 million, and it opens the door for the Boring Company to look at a possible expansion in the future.

“We are pleased the U.S. Bankruptcy Court today approved the sale of the Las Vegas Monorail Company’s assets to the LVCVA and look forward to the close of the transaction in the coming weeks,” LVCVA CEO Steve Hill said.

According to a report from NBC Affiliate News 3 LV, the sale of the Monorail was finalized on November 24th, and the LVCVA officially obtained the rights to run the system and handle its territories. Because the Monorail had rights to certain areas, other transportation options, like the Boring Co.’s Vegas Loop project, could not travel within certain areas of the Sin City. However, the LVCVA’s purchase of the project will now give the company and its entities a full range of options to expand in any area.

An exclusivity clause had previously halted any other companies from operating in the Monorail’s territories. But now, that is a thing of the past.

“Again, it’s the Boring Company and others that – what technology is out there, be it light rail, BRT (bus rapid transit), to be able to come in and expressly from the private sector invest in that corridor,” LVCVA Board Chairman Larry Brown said in July.

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Entities like the Boring Company, who have ideas to revolutionize visitor travel in Las Vegas, have long sought to improve the situation. Still, the exclusivity clauses have become problematic for expansion. It has more or less become an issue of owning the rights to certain properties, which has helped alleviate the monopolization of public transportation in the area. However, this creates a bind for tourists and residents, as there would have been multiple tickets to buy and the tedious task of switching from one mode of transportation to another. Ultimately, it would have caused more harm than good if visitors were forced to do this.

The Vegas Monorail had exclusivity rights to the stops marked by the blue line. (Credit: Las Vegas Monorail)

Now that the LVCVA officially owns the rights to the Monorail and its territories, the Boring Company can begin to speculate that its expansion attempts could be approved. The Tesla-operated underground system that the Boring Company plans to use could end up holding stops at nearly every tourist attraction in Las Vegas, and it would move 8,000 people every hour in record time.

However, the LVCVA plans to continue the Monorail’s operation until its lifespan comes to a close. The Authority says it expects the Monorail to last another ten years, which would allow enough time for the group to begin preparing new ways to move people around from location to location. With the Boring Co. planning to have a sizeable presence in Las Vegas, the LVCVA could likely expand the Vegas Loop to the Monorail’s territories after becoming a defunct mode of transportation.

(Credit: The Boring Company)

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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Tesla’s new Holiday perk is timed perfectly to make FSD a household name

Tesla AI4 owners get FSD (Supervised) through Christmas, New Year’s Eve and well into the post-holiday travel season.

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Credit: Grok Imagine

Tesla quietly rolled out a free Full Self-Driving (Supervised) trial for roughly 1.5 million HW4 owners in North America who never bought the package, and the timing could very well be genius. 

As it turns out, the trial doesn’t end after 30 days. Instead, it expires January 8, 2026, meaning owners get FSD (Supervised) through Christmas, New Year’s Eve and well into the post-holiday travel season. This extended window positions the feature for maximum word-of-mouth exposure.

A clever holiday gift

Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt first spotted the detail after multiple owners shared screenshots showing the trial expiring on January 8. He confirmed with affected users that none had active FSD subscriptions before the rollout. He also observed that Tesla never called the promotion a “30-day trial,” as the in-car message simply reads “You’re Getting FSD (Supervised) For the Holidays,” which technically runs until after the new year.

The roughly 40-day period covers peak family travel and gatherings, giving owners ample opportunity to showcase the latest FSD V14’s capabilities on highway trips, crowded parking lots and neighborhood drives. With relatives riding along, hands-off highway driving and automatic lane changes could become instant conversation starters.

Rave reviews for FSD V14 highlight demo potential

FSD has been receiving positive reviews from users as of late. Following the release of FSD v14.2.1, numerous owners praised the update for its smoothness and reliability. Tesla owner @LactoseLunatic called it a “huge leap forward from version 14.1.4,” praising extreme smoothness, snappy lane changes and assertive yet safe behavior that allows relaxed monitoring. 

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Another Tesla owner, @DevinOlsenn, drove 600 km without disengagements, noting his wife now defaults to FSD for daily use due to its refined feel. Sawyer Merritt also tested FSD V14.2.1 in snow on unplowed New Hampshire roads, and the system stayed extra cautious without hesitation. Longtime FSD tester Chuck Cook highlighted improved sign recognition in school zones, showing better dynamic awareness. These reports of fewer interventions and a more “sentient” drive could turn family passengers into advocates, fueling subscriptions come January.

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Elon Musk

Elon Musk predicts AI and robotics could make work “optional” within 20 years

Speaking on entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath’s podcast, Musk predicted that machines will soon handle most forms of labor, leaving humans to work only if they choose to.

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Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Elon Musk stated that rapid advances in artificial intelligence and robotics could make traditional work unnecessary within two decades. 

Speaking on entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath’s podcast, Musk predicted that machines will soon handle most forms of labor, leaving humans to work only if they choose to.

Work as a “hobby”

During the discussion, Musk said the accelerating capability of AI systems and general-purpose robots will eventually cover all essential tasks, making human labor a choice rather than an economic requirement. “In less than 20 years, working will be optional. Working at all will be optional. Like a hobby,” Musk said.

When Kamath asked whether this future is driven by massive productivity growth, Musk agreed, noting that people will still be free to work if they enjoy the routine or the challenge. He compared future employment to home gardening, as it is something people can still do for personal satisfaction even if buying food from a store is far easier

“Optional” work in the future

Elon Musk acknowledged the boldness of his claim and joked that people might look back in 20 years and say he was wrong. That being said, the CEO noted that such a scenario could even happen sooner than his prediction, at least if one were to consider the pace of the advancements in AI and robotics. 

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“Obviously people can play this back in 20 years and say, ‘Look, Elon made this ridiculous prediction and it’s not true,’ but I think it will turn out to be true, that in less than 20 years, maybe even as little as ten or 15 years, the advancements in AI and robotics will bring us to the point where working is optional,” Musk said. 

Elon Musk’s comments echo his previous sentiments at Tesla’s 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, where he noted that Optimus could ultimately eliminate poverty. He also noted that robots like Optimus could eventually provide people worldwide with the best medical care.

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Elon Musk

Elon Musk reiterates why Tesla will never make an electric motorcycle

Tesla CEO Elon Musk preemptively shut down speculations about a Tesla road bike once more.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk preemptively shut down speculations about a Tesla road bike once more, highlighting that the electric vehicle maker has no plans to enter the electric motorcycle market.  

Musk posted his clarification in a post on X.

Musk’s reply to a fun AI video

X user @Moandbhr posted an AI video featuring the Tesla CEO on the social media platform, captioning it with “Mr. Elon Musk Just Revealed the Game-Changing Tesla Motorcycle.” The short clip depicted Musk approaching a sleek, single-wheeled vehicle, stepping onto it, and gliding off into the distance amid cheers. The fun video received a lot of traction on X, gaining 3.1 million views as of writing. 

Musk replied to the post, stating that a Tesla motorcycle is not going to happen. “Never happening, as we can’t make motorcycles safe. For Community Notes, my near death experience was on a road bike. Dirt bikes are safe if you ride carefully, as you can’t be smashed by a truck,” Musk wrote in his reply. 

Musk’s Past Comments on Two-Wheelers

Musk also detailed his reservations about motorcycles in a December 2019 X post while responding to questions about Tesla’s potential ATV. At the time, he responded positively to an electric ATV, though he also opposed the idea of a Tesla road-going motorcycle. Musk did state that electric dirt bikes might be cool, since they do not operate in areas where large vehicles like Class 8 trucks are present. 

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“Electric dirt bikes would be cool too. We won’t do road bikes, as too dangerous. I was hit by a truck & almost died on one when I was 17,” Musk wrote in his post. 

Considering Musk’s comments about dirt bikes, however, perhaps Tesla would eventually offer a road bike as a recreational vehicle. Such a two-wheeler would be a good fit for the Cybertruck, as well as future products like the Robovan, which could be converted into an RV.

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