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Elon Musk files permits for The Brick Store to sell The Boring Company’s bricks
As The Boring Company prepares to hold the opening party for its first completed test tunnel this coming December 10, Elon Musk is also laying the foundations of a company directly connected to the activities of the tunneling startup. As revealed by planning documents filed in Hawthorne, CA, Elon Musk has started a company that is aimed at selling the Boring Bricks, which are durable, affordable bricks that are made from tunneling rock.
In true Elon Musk fashion, the new company has a perfectly appropriate name — The Brick Store LLC. Founded in July, The Brick Store is expected to be managed by Steve Davis, a former SpaceX engineer who is also running The Boring Company. State filings for The Brick Co. indicate that the startup’s purpose is the “manufacture and sale of bricks.” Quite interestingly, the new company was founded around the same time as when The Boring Co. asked the city for permission to build an access shaft where it could extract the tunnel boring machine it used to build its test tunnel.
As could be seen from documents submitted to the city last October, The Brick Store is already looking to build its first physical store. Located at 12003 Prairie Avenue, the Brick Store’s first outlet would be about a mile away from the SpaceX and The Boring Company headquarters.
While The Brick Store is a separate entity from The Boring Company, its planning documents suggest that its physical store would be painted in white, gray and black — a color scheme that is also being utilized by the tunneling startup. Details on The Brick Store outlet’s exterior were described in the planning documents.
“The proposed colors are white, gray, and black. The proposed colors avoid monotony throughout the project site and blend well together. The color scheme does not create an incompatible look to the surrounding neighborhood. The applicant is utilizing white for the majority of the building with gray trim surrounding the building with black security doors as an accent to the building. The black steel security bars and doors will be utilized around the building to accent the entrances and windows.”
The location of The Brick Store’s upcoming physical outlet is strategic to The Boring Company’s operations as well, considering that the building is located close to an exit tunnel where the tunneling startup plans to extract the TBM utilized to build the Hawthorne test tunnel.
Elon Musk teased some details on The Boring Bricks last September, stating that the bricks would cost just 10 cents per piece. Musk has also noted that the blocks themselves are rated for California seismic loads, and thus are quite durable. In a later tweet, the SpaceX and Tesla CEO added that the Boring Bricks would be given for free if they are used for affordable housing projects.
Dwell Earth founder Bob de Jong, whose company sells machines that are capable of producing bricks by applying a mixture of earth and cement, noted to TechCrunch that he is quite excited about the Boring Bricks and Elon Musk’s brick-production project.
“Elon seems to have a way of bringing energy and talent to big challenges, and we are happy to see that he may be as excited about (compressed earth blocks) as we are,” he said.
News
Tesla Model Y L has two distinct features for luxurious comfort
This is not to say the other interior additions are not factors in the Model Y becoming a more luxurious and premium vehicle, but the two mentioned in this article are particularly pertinent in that conversation.

Tesla’s new Model Y L has two distinct features that are geared toward giving occupants a taste of luxury with guaranteed comfort.
These two features should definitely be part of the company’s future lineup, and they could prove to be massive upgrades to the Model Y’s interior, which is certainly premium but is missing some things that truly tailor to a “luxury” feel of an automobile.
This is not to say the other interior additions are not factors in the Model Y becoming a more luxurious and premium vehicle, but the two mentioned in this article are particularly pertinent in that conversation.
Tesla Model Y L might not come to the U.S., and it’s a missed opportunity
Power-Adjustable Thigh Supports
In the front seats of the Model Y L, there are power-adjustable thigh supports that will enable some additional comfort on the legs:
The Tesla Model Y L features power-adjustable thigh supports for the front seats pic.twitter.com/1tBQG0KznK
— The Tesla Newswire (@TeslaNewswire) August 19, 2025
Most might think that these thigh supports are simply a feature that makes the ride more comfortable, which is true. However, they have benefits for the ride and after you exit the car.
Providing proper lift on the legs and thighs can be beneficial for people with back problems or posture issues. The lower back takes an increased amount of stress during long car rides, especially as the legs are fixed in the chosen seating position.
Tesla Model Y L officially launched: price, features, and more
Adding some support to the thighs can help reduce pressure on the lower back and hips, and distribute weight more evenly, taking stress off pressure points.
It can also contribute to better spinal alignment. They also have safety benefits, as some riders could have an improved seatbelt position thanks to the thighs being in this position.
Second-Row Mechanical Armrest
Tesla also added mechanical, one-touch armrests to the Model Y L’s second row, a nice and premium touch for the riders in the middle of the vehicle:
The Model Y’s second-row armrests are pretty satisfying to watch.
They’re touch operated, so they should be very convenient to use.pic.twitter.com/iGlGiJXGNR
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) August 19, 2025
Add the additional space the Model Y L provides to riders, and it already gets more comfortable. However, the addition of the mechanical armrests gives a good option of comfort for those who are seated in the second row.
They can also be retracted with the touch of a button, allowing for those in the third row to exit the vehicle easily.
One con to the mechanical portion of these armrests is that it is another moving part, and, of course, that puts it at risk of having issues.
However, it is certainly more premium than a manual armrest, and the flashy carbuyers will appreciate this small but mighty addition.
News
Tesla’s NHTSA probe is already on its way to being resolved
The problem the NHTSA had with Tesla’s reporting is already on its way to being resolved, as the agency and the company have been in communication.

Tesla is being probed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for not reporting accidents in a timely manner, the agency said on Thursday.
It is already well on its way to being resolved, the agency said.
The agency’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) identified numerous instances in which Tesla reported crashes that “occurred several months or more before the dates of the reports.”
The Standing General Order in place by the agency requires crash reports to be submitted within five days of Tesla receiving the notice of an accident.
The investigation states Tesla submitted crashes in one of two ways:
“Many of the reports were submitted as part of a single batch, while others were submitted on a rolling basis.”
The problem the NHTSA had with Tesla’s reporting is already on its way to being resolved, as the agency and the company have been in communication.
Tesla has already been in contact with the agency’s ODI and stated that the timing of the reports was an issue with its data collection. The issue has been resolved, Tesla told them.
The NHTSA said the initiation of the probe against Tesla is a “standard process for reviewing compliance with legal requirements, to evaluate the cause of potential delays in reporting, the scope of any such delays, and the mitigations that Tesla has developed to address them.”
It is the latest NHTSA probe into Tesla, as it has also been investigating the company for accidents during Full Self-Driving operation in reduced visibility conditions.
The agency also sought information on the rollout of Robotaxi a few months ago, and how Tesla planned to handle low-visibility conditions in its driverless ride-hailing service.
The NHTSA was interested in knowing how Tesla planned to assess the ability of FSD’s engineering controls, whether any other similar FSD crashes had occurred in low visibility, and if modifications to FSD software would impact its performance in these conditions.
News
Tesla rolls out minor but significant improvement to Robotaxi service
As per Tesla, Robotaxis will now arrive at their pickup locations with their doors locked.

Tesla has rolled out a minor but significant improvement to its Robotaxi service. The update was shared by the Tesla community on social media platforms such as X.
New Robotaxi App update
As observed by the electric vehicle community on social media, Tesla has started rolling out the Robotaxi App’s Version 25.8.5 (6074) to users. The update seems to be quite minor, though Tesla mentioned something quite notable the update’s “What to Test” section.
As per Tesla, Robotaxis will now arrive at their pickup locations with their doors locked. Customers would not need to unlock the Robotaxis manually, however, as the vehicles would automatically unlock as they approach the car. “You ride now arrives locked and will automatically unlock as you walk up. Just ensure your app has Bluetooth access enabled,” Tesla wrote.
While this update is minor, it does improve the safety of the vehicles themselves. It also provides another layer of convenience for users of the driverless ride-hailing service. The fact that Tesla is already refining the Robotaxi App’s features this early bodes well for the program. It suggests, if any, that the service will already be fairly refined when it starts being opened to more users.
Robotaxi praised for its safety
Tesla is following a deliberate and cautious rollout strategy for its Robotaxi rollout, though early reviews of the system have been quite positive. Some reviewers have also dubbed Tesla’s Robotaxi service as a safer alternative to more conventional ride-hailing services such as Uber.
This was highlighted by auto reviewer Scotty Reiss in a post on A Girl’s Guide to Cars.
“I like the personal safety factor. No driver to threaten or harass you. You control the locking and unlocking of the car. You can change the pickup location at any time. The car will wait for you. You can call the support desk if you need help. You can change your destination if the drop-off area seems sketchy. All of it together makes me feel safer getting a car home from the airport at midnight or into the city after dark, and I definitely feel safer having my daughters take a self-driving rideshare when they go out to meet friends for dinner,” Reiss wrote in her post.
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