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Upcoming Elon Musk biography from Walter Isaacson nearing completion: report

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- Tesla Inc. Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk poses for a photograph with U.S. Air Force Academy Cadets in Mitchell Hall during a tour hosted by Superintendent Lt. Gen. Richard Clark on April 7, 2022. Musk met with Academy senior leadership and delivered remarks to a crowd of cadets and faculty. (U.S. Air Force photo by Justin R. Pacheco)

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It appears that Elon Musk’s upcoming biography from respected best-selling author Walter Isaacson is nearing completion. But there is a slight problem — since Musk is constantly making news, the esteemed biographer is reportedly facing some challenges writing the book’s conclusion. 

Back in 2021, Elon Musk confirmed on Twitter that Isaacson was writing his biography. The news was received very well online, particularly since Isaacson has been responsible for some of the most impressive biographies ever written in recent decades. These include his book, Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography, which was published after the former Apple CEO’s death and is considered the definitive biography of the revolutionary tech titan. 

Citing sources with direct knowledge of the matter, Fox Business recently noted that Isaacson is reportedly close to concluding a “sketched out” draft of his Elon Musk biography. The news agency’s source claimed that overall, the upcoming biography is just about two chapters away from being completed. “He’s looking to put a bow on it. He’s about two chapters away,” the source reportedly noted. 

Isaacson reportedly expects the biography to be finished by fall, but so far, he is still being challenged by the book’s ending. This is because Elon Musk is still actively making news and will likely continue to do so this year, from Tesla’s expected developments this year such as the first deliveries of the Cybertruck to SpaceX’s orbital flight of Starship to Twitter’s transition to new management. The book’s publisher, Simon & Schuster, has not released a definitive release date for the upcoming work. 

“The problem for Walter is that Elon keeps making news,” one of Fox’s sources noted. The publication’s source noted that ultimately, Musk’s newsworthy nature could end up causing rewrites and delays to the biography. But considering Musk’s persona and Isaacson’s quality of work, any wait for the book is likely worth it. 

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The upcoming biography is expected to span much of Musk’s life and work, from the ambitious founding of SpaceX to Tesla’s challenges to his turbulent acquisition of Twitter last year. One of Fox Business’ sources claimed that Issacson has described his upcoming work as a “straight narrative” and that he wrote it “without any bias.” 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla FSD Supervised ride-alongs in Europe begin in Italy, France, and Germany

The program allows the public to hop in as a non-driving observer to witness FSD navigate urban streets firsthand.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has kicked off passenger ride-alongs for Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in Italy, France and Germany. The program allows the public to hop in as a non-driving observer to witness FSD navigate urban streets firsthand. 

The program, detailed on Tesla’s event pages, arrives ahead of a potential early 2026 Dutch regulatory approval that could unlock a potential EU-wide rollout for FSD.

Hands-Off Demos

Tesla’s ride-along invites participants to “ride along in the passenger seat to experience how it handles real-world traffic & the most stressful parts of daily driving, making the roads safer for all,” as per the company’s announcement on X through its official Tesla Europe & Middle East account. 

Sign-ups via localized pages offer free slots through December, with Tesla teams piloting vehicles through city streets, roundabouts and highways.

“Be one of the first to experience Full Self-Driving (Supervised) from the passenger seat. Our team will take you along as a passenger and show you how Full Self-Driving (Supervised) works under real-world road conditions,” Tesla wrote. “Discover how it reacts to live traffic and masters the most stressful parts of driving to make the roads safer for you and others. Come join us to learn how we are moving closer to a fully autonomous future.”

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Building trust towards an FSD Unsupervised rollout

Tesla’s FSD (Supervised) ride-alongs could be an effective tool to build trust and get regular car buyers and commuters used to the idea of vehicles driving themselves. By seating riders shotgun, Tesla could provide participants with a front row seat to the bleeding edge of consumer-grade driverless systems.

FSD (Supervised) has already been rolled out to several countries, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and partially in China. So far, FSD (Supervised) has been received positively by drivers, as it really makes driving tasks and long trips significantly easier and more pleasant.

FSD is a key safety feature as well, which became all too evident when a Tesla driving on FSD was hit by what seemed to be a meteorite in Australia. The vehicle moved safely despite the impact, though the same would likely not be true had the car been driven manually.

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Swedish union rep pissed that Tesla is working around a postal blockade they started

Tesla Sweden is now using dozens of private residences as a way to obtain license plates for its vehicles.

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Andrzej Otrębski, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Two years into their postal blockade, Swedish unions are outraged that Tesla is still able to provide its customers’ vehicles with valid plates through various clever workarounds. 

Seko chairman Gabriella Lavecchia called it “embarrassing” that the world’s largest EV maker, owned by CEO Elon Musk, refuses to simply roll over and accept the unions’ demands.

Unions shocked Tesla won’t just roll over and surrender

The postal unions’ blockade began in November 2023 when Seko and IF Metall-linked unions stopped all mail to Tesla sites to force a collective agreement. License plates for Tesla vehicles instantly became the perfect pressure point, as noted in a Dagens Arbete report.

Tesla responded by implementing initiatives to work around the blockades. A recent investigation from Arbetet revealed that Tesla Sweden is now using dozens of private residences, including one employee’s parents’ house in Trångsund and a customer-relations staffer’s home in Vårby, as a way to obtain license plates for its vehicles.

Seko chairman Gabriella Lavecchia is not pleased that Tesla Sweden is working around the unions’ efforts yet again. “It is embarrassing that one of the world’s largest car companies, owned by one of the world’s richest people, has sunk this low,” she told the outlet. “Unfortunately, it is completely frivolous that such a large company conducts business in this way.”

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Two years on and plates are still being received

The Swedish Transport Agency has confirmed Tesla is still using several different workarounds to overcome the unions’ blockades.

As noted by DA, Tesla Sweden previously used different addresses to receive its license plates. At one point, the electric vehicle maker used addresses for car care shops. Tesla Sweden reportedly used this strategy in Östermalm in Stockholm, as well as in Norrköping and Gothenburg.

Another strategy that Tesla Sweden reportedly implemented involved replacement plates being ordered by private individuals when vehicles change hands from Tesla to car buyers. There have also been cases where the police have reportedly issued temporary plates to Tesla vehicles.

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Czech Deputy excited for Tesla FSD, hints at Transport Committee review

The ANO party lawmaker shared his thoughts about FSD in a post on social media platform X.

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Credit: @BLKMDL3/X

Martin Kolovratník, a Czech Republic Chamber of Deputies member, has expressed his excitement for Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) after an apparent constituent called for a quick approval for the advanced safety system.

The ANO party lawmaker, who drives both diesel and EV, shared his thoughts about the matter in a post on social media platform X.

The official’s initial statements

Kolovratník kicked off the exchange with a post outlining his coalition’s efforts to scrap highway toll exemptions for electric vehicles and plug-ins starting in 2027. 

“Times have changed. Electric vehicles are no longer a fringe technology, but a full-fledged part of operations. And if someone uses the highway network, they should follow the same rules as everyone else. That’s the basis of fairness,” he wrote.

He emphasized equity over ideology, noting his personal mix of diesel and electric driving. “For this reason, there is no reason to continue favoring one technology at the expense of another… It’s not about ideology, it’s about equal conditions. That’s why we clearly agreed within the new coalition: the exemption for electric vehicles and plug-ins will end in 2027. The decision is predictable, understandable, and economically sound.”

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Tesla FSD enthusiasm

The conversation pivoted to Tesla’s FSD when X user @robotinreallife, who seems to be one of the official’s constituents, replied that other matters are more important than ending highway exemptions for EVs. 

“I’m happy to pay for the highway, but I have a question about a much more fundamental matter: The Netherlands will approve the operation of Tesla FSD in February 26, a technology that has been proven to reduce accidents. The Czech Republic has the option to immediately recognize this certification. Do you plan to support this step so that we don’t unnecessarily delay?” the X user asked. 

Kolovratník responded promptly, sharing his own excitement for the upcoming rollout of FSD. “I know about it. I like it and it seems interesting to me. Once we set up the committees and subcommittees, we’ll open it right away in that transport one. Thanks for the tip, I’ll deliver the report,” the official noted in his reply on X. 

Kolovratník’s nod to FSD hints at the system’s potentially smooth rollout to Czechia in the coming year. With the Netherlands possibly greenlighting FSD (Supervised) in early 2026, Kolovratník’s commitment could accelerate cross-border certification, boosting FSD’s foray into Europe by a notable margin.

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