News
Elon Musk’s Boring Company gets shorter operating agreement for LVCC Loop
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) recently decided to shorten its operating agreement with Elon Musk’s Boring Company with regards to the operation and maintenance of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) Loop. The Boring Company currently operates the LVCC Loop, which allows visitors to travel within the Las Vegas Convention Center campus.
The LVCC Loop’s current iteration involves a fleet of Teslas that still require human drivers to travel within the system’s stations, though it is highly speculated that The Boring Company would eventually transition to the use of autonomous vehicles. The LVCC Loop is a simple route, and it would likely be easy for Tesla’s advanced driver-assist systems like Autopilot and Full Self-Driving to navigate the system’s tunnels without any issues.
The LVCVA Board approved the initial LVCC Loop operations and management agreement in January 2021. Back then, the agreement provided an extension for an additional five-year period. Tuesday’s vote changed the five-year extension into a one-year extension, according to a report from the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Board members voted 11-1 to spend up to $4.5 million for a one-year agreement with The Boring Company from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023. The LVCVA also has the option to cancel the agreement with a four-month notice.
While this update may seem like a blow to The Boring Company’s LVCC Loop, LVCVA Chief Financial Officer Ed Finger highlighted that the system has met the board and customers’ expectations. Finger noted that when the tunnel system started operations in May, the LVCVA gave the system a budget of $4.25 million to maintain a fleet of Tesla vehicles with drivers. For the fiscal year, the convention authority spent just under $4 million, though costs are expected to rise in the year ahead as trade shows and conventions are held on the site once more.
“The system has met our expectations and our customers’ expectations,” Finger stated.
LVCVA President and CEO Steve Hill has noted that the costs of the LVCC Loop can be decreased if The Boring Company uses autonomous driving solutions. The buildout of the much more extensive Vegas Loop would likely help reduce the operating costs of the Convention Center tunnels as well. The Vegas Loop is expected to feature 18 miles of tunnels and 51 planned stations, with stops in popular locations such as Resorts World, the Harry Reid International Airport, and Allegiant Stadium, to name a few.
So far, the LVCC Loop is designed to accommodate 4,400 passengers per hour. During CES 2022 earlier this year, the LVCVA informed Teslarati that the LVCC Loop had been able to transport 15,000 to 17,000 passengers around the Convention Center’s campus daily. The LVCC Loop’s performance during the SEMA Show in November 2021 was even more impressive, as the system was able to move 25,000 to 27,000 passengers daily. The Vegas Loop’s target is much more ambitious, with the system aiming to accommodate 57,000 commuters an hour.
*Quotes courtesy of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
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News
SpaceX Starlink gets its latest airline adoptee, grabbing three of the ‘Big Four’
SpaceX’s Starlink product has just gotten its latest airline adoptee, and the move marks the successful partnership of three of the “Big Four” U.S. airlines.
American Airlines announced on Tuesday that it would utilize Starlink in more than 500 narrowbody aircraft beginning in the first quarter of 2027. These include the Airbus aircraft in its fleet, including the new A321XLR and A321neo.
With the new partnership with American Airlines, Starlink is now present on three of the largest airlines in the country: American, United, and Southwest.
Starlink gets its latest airline adoptee for stable and reliable internet access
Starlink’s VP of Enterprise Sales, Jason Fritch, said:
“We are proud to bring Starlink on board American Airlines, delivering fast and reliable internet to passengers and crew. Whether traveling for leisure or business, Starlink enables a fully connected experience gate to gate, making every flight smoother and more enjoyable.”
Additionally, American Airlines Chief Customer Officer, Heather Garboden, said:
“As a premium global airline, we are continuously seeking out world-class partners like Starlink to deliver what our customers need and want. The addition of Starlink solidifies American as a leading airline in keeping passengers connected in flight.”
Starlink has been on a tear over the past year, as it has continued to be adopted by a wide variety of airlines as a more consistent and reliable way to provide WiFi to its passengers. It has already gained a great reputation among residential users, but its biggest commercial application appears to be how it is being used in the air.
American Airlines will adopt Starlink on more than 500 of its narrowbody aircraft beginning in Q1 2027
“As a premium global airline, we are continuously seeking out world-class partners like Starlink to deliver what our customers need and want,” said American Airlines Chief… pic.twitter.com/XY2wflycc0
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) May 26, 2026
The only airline of the Big Four not to adopt Starlink thus far is Delta, which chose to opt for the alternative, which is Amazon Leo. CEO Ed Bastian said to Bloomberg that Delta chose Amazon’s product over Starlink’s because “the opportunities, in terms of the improved bandwidth with a much lower price point than what we’ve ever seen from Starlink, will make a big difference.”
Delta will not start installing Amazon Leo until 2028.
“Of course, we expect Starlink will be warning people that we’re going to go with an inferior product,” Bastian said. “But I’m not too worried about partnering with Amazon.”
Cybertruck
Tesla Cybertruck’s newest trim is nearing its first deliveries
Tesla Cybertruck’s newest trim level is nearing its first deliveries just a few months after being offered for an incredible deal.
Back in February, Tesla officially launched a new trim of the Cybertruck, the All-Wheel-Drive, starting at just $59,990. It was a lot of truck for the money, especially considering what it offered the Rear-Wheel-Drive variant for last year, which was a total flop.
The $59,990 price that was offered initially was a deal due to its 325-mile range rating, powered tonneau, three bed outlets, Powershare capability, coil springs with adaptive damping for a refined suspension feel, Steer-by-Wire and four-wheel steering, a 6′ x 4′ composite bed, towing capacity of 7,500 pounds, and a powered frunk.
Tesla is now nearing deliveries of this trim, according to watcher Sawyer Merritt, as Tesla has officially started assigning VINs to people who ordered the vehicle initially:
I can confirm that Tesla has officially started assigning VINs to people who initially ordered the $59,990 Cybertruck Dual-Motor AWD, which means first deliveries should start in the coming weeks!
• 325 mile range
• 7,500 lb towing capacity
• 0-60mph: 4.1s
• Bed with… pic.twitter.com/PQwVYbZf6j— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) May 24, 2026
Earlier this month, we reported on units of the trim being spotted outside Gigafactory Texas by Joe Tegtmeyer.
Tesla Giga Texas buzzing as new Cybertruck appears to enter production
This Cybertruck trim was interesting because it was released basically out of nowhere, priced incredibly well, and gathered many orders in a small amount of time. However, CEO Elon Musk noted just days afterward that the vehicle would only be priced at this bargain level for ten days.
Tesla fans were not happy.
Awful way to treat customers – particularly when they already sent out a marketing email announcing the $59,990 truck…with zero mention of it being a limited-time offer.
— Ryan McCaffrey (@DMC_Ryan) February 24, 2026
However, the issues with the pricing strategy have blown over since the February unveiling event, and now that deliveries are near, Tesla fans are anticipating the truck making its way to their driveways soon.
The truck is currently priced at $69,990, and deliveries for new orders are slated for between August and September 2026.
News
Tesla ships new feature that silences neighborhood Supercharger complaints
Tesla is shipping a new feature that silences neighborhood Supercharger complaints, prompting drivers to be aware of those who might be impacted by excessive noise nearby.
Tesla is now rolling out a new location-specific “Quiet Charging Zone” that prompts drivers to lower their vehicle’s audio volume in an effort to make things comfortable for everyone, even those who are not Tesla owners.
Another beautiful example of Tesla’s vertical integration.
Neighbors were complaining about noise and commotion at this new Supercharger in San Francisco.
So Tesla pushed a software update that asks people to turn their volume down, with a button to do it in 1 tap. Smart. pic.twitter.com/8esuliuzwr
— Whole Mars Catalog (@wholemars) May 20, 2026
This is an impactful feature that will resolve many complaints from those who are living nearby.
When a Tesla plugs into this Supercharger and its media volume exceeds a certain level, the vehicle’s central touchscreen displays a polite notification: “Could you turn the volume down? Please be mindful of our neighbors.”
Accompanying the message is a prominent “Lower” button. One tap automatically reduces the audio to a more considerate level. Physical “Quiet Charging Zone” signs posted at the station reinforce the request, creating a cohesive experience that blends digital nudges with on-site reminders.
This feature highlights Tesla’s unique advantages. Unlike traditional automakers, Tesla owns both the vehicle software and the charging infrastructure.
Engineers can detect the precise location via GPS, trigger context-aware prompts, and deploy changes fleet-wide in hours or days without recalls or dealer visits. No public release notes highlighted the change, suggesting it was a quiet, site-specific rollout designed to test effectiveness before potential expansion.
These are usually referred to as “Undocumented Changes.”
Beyond immediate noise reduction, the initiative underscores Tesla’s customer- and community-focused ethos. While EVs are inherently quieter than combustion-engine vehicles, auxiliary behaviors like loud infotainment can still create friction in dense cities. Tesla’s rapid response turns potential conflict into an opportunity to demonstrate thoughtful engineering.
As Tesla expands its Supercharger network, which is now open to other EVs in many places, features like location-based quiet modes could become standard tools for harmonious integration into neighborhoods.