News
Lucid announces DreamDrive: a ‘user-friendly, future-ready’ Advanced Driver Assistance System
Lucid Group has announced the details of its Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), DreamDrive, which it calls “the most technically sophisticated advanced driver-assistance system.” Lucid’s DreamDrive, which comes standard in the company’s top two trims of its Air sedan, employs up to 32 onboard sensors, a driver-monitoring system, and a user-friendly interface powered by onboard ethernet networking systems. The system is set to have new features and improvements delivered to it through a series of Over-the-Air updates.
“DreamDrive Pro has been designed to grow in capability, thanks to our ability to deliver software over-the-air and key equipment already in place in the vehicle,” Lucid’s Senior Director of ADAS and Autonomous Driving, Dr. Eugene Lee, said. “Thanks to highly integrated hardware and software teams, Lucid has the ability to develop new functionality for DreamDrive Pro in-house. This can benefit every facet of the DreamDrive Pro experience, from the frequency of updates to the planned rollout of the Highway Pilot system for conditional automated driving on select roadways in the coming years.”
Lucid Air Dream gets massive 520-mile range rating in preliminary EPA tests
A Sensor Suite That Can Detect What the Human Eye Cannot
The 32 onboard sensors that will feed data to the DreamDrive system will detect what the human eye can’t. Only the most trained eye will be able to spot the up to 32 sensors on the Air Dream and Grand Touring editions as they will be seamlessly integrated into the exterior of the sedan.
Lucid writes:
“Comprising 14 visible-light cameras, five radar units, four surround view cameras, ultrasonic sensors throughout the vehicle exterior, and, for DreamDrive Pro, the first automotive installation of LIDAR in North America. This solid-state LIDAR sensor will deliver high-resolution data with an ultra-wide field of view. Together, these sensors enable DreamDrive to detect what a human driver cannot, and act as an invisible co-pilot to help drivers get to their destination safely.”
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- Credit: Lucid
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- Credit: Lucid
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- Credit: Lucid
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- Credit: Lucid
A Human-Machine Interface That’s About the Human
Lucid DreamDrive also will use its Surreal Sound from its 21-internal speaker system to deliver clear directional alerts that will enhance the safety and awareness of drivers. The use of the speakers to warn drivers with directional alerts will enhance features like Front and Rear Cross Traffic Protection and Autonomous Emergency Braking. Surround View Monitoring also will provide a 360-degree view of the car, helping maneuver tight parking spaces or streets.
Highway Assist and Auto Park
Highway Assist and Auto Park features will also help enhance DreamDrive’s versatility. Lucid writes regarding Highway Assist:
“The Highway Assist group of features is designed to help drivers stay safe, while also making the Lucid Air even more delightful to drive. Highway Assist blends adaptive cruise control and lane centering control to help keep the Lucid Air right where it belongs on the freeway, at a safe distance from the vehicle ahead and other lanes. Traffic Jam Assist operates at speeds between 0 and 40 miles per hour, aiding in centering the vehicle when lane lines are occluded by close traffic. For vehicles equipped with DreamDrive Pro, further functions for Highway Assist are already in development.“
Of course, drivers will be able to use Highway Assist when the driver is attentive, and this will be confirmed through a robust sophisticated driver monitoring system. “An infrared driver camera tracks head position, eye gaze, and blinking, while hands-off detection prompts the driver to return their hands to the steering wheel immediately,” the company’s press release states.
Additionally, an Auto Park feature will make putting the car in tight spots much easier. Identifiying parallel or perpendicular spots and easily parking in them makes the task of maneuvering a thing of the past. It will even turn the wheels toward or away from the curb when parking on a hill.
A Robust Platform for Greater Capability in the Future
All of these features are great, but they wouldn’t be possible without the right platform. Lucid’s proprietary Ethernet Ring will enable four high-speed computer gateways – one at each corner of every vehicle – which will communicate with one another at lightning-fast speeds to result in high performance and hgih degrees of redudnancy for key ssytems like steering, braking, power, sensors, and more.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below, or be sure to email me at joey@teslarati.com or on Twitter @KlenderJoey.
Elon Musk
Tesla Cybercab coming next to Giga Berlin, Optimus possibly after
“From a next major product standpoint, I think most likely is the Tesla Cybercab,” Musk said.
Tesla could add the Cybercab and Optimus humanoid robot to the production lineup at Giga Berlin, as per recent comments from CEO Elon Musk.
During a recent interview with Giga Berlin plant manager André Thierig, Musk identified the Cybercab as the most likely next major product for the German factory, with Optimus potentially following after.
“From a next major product standpoint, I think most likely is the Tesla Cybercab,” Musk said. He added that there are also “possibilities of Tesla Optimus” being produced in the facility.
Tesla has already begun production of the Cybercab in Giga Texas, with volume production expected to ramp this year. Based on Musk’s comments, it appears that if conditions align in Europe, Giga Berlin could eventually join that effort.
The CEO’s comments about Optimus coming to Gigafactory Berlin are quite unsurprising too considering that Musk has mentioned in the past that the humanoid robot will likely be Tesla’s highest volume product in the long run.
Giga Berlin will likely be able to produce mass volumes of Optimus, as the Model S and Model X lines being converted to an Optimus line in the Fremont Factory are already expected to produce 1 million units of the humanoid robot annually.
Apart from his comments about the Cybercab and Optimus, Elon Musk also confirmed that Giga Berlin has started ramping battery cell production and will continue expanding Model Y output, particularly as supervised Full Self-Driving (FSD) gains regulatory approvals in Europe.
Taken together, the remarks suggest Berlin’s role could evolve beyond vehicle assembly into a broader multi-product manufacturing hub, not just a regional Model Y plant.
Energy
Tesla Powerwall distribution expands in Australia
Inventory is expected to arrive in late February and official sales are expected to start mid-March 2026.
Supply Partners Group has secured a distribution agreement for the Tesla Powerwall in Australia, with inventory expected to arrive in late February and official sales beginning in mid-March 2026.
Under the new agreement, Supply Partners will distribute Tesla Powerwall units and related accessories across its national footprint, as noted in an ecogeneration report. The company said the addition strengthens its position as a distributor focused on premium, established brands.
“We are proud to officially welcome Tesla Powerwall into the Supply Partners portfolio,” Lliam Ricketts, Co-Founder and Director of Innovation at Supply Partners Group, stated.
“Tesla sets a high bar, and we’ve worked hard to earn the opportunity to represent a brand that customers actively ask for. This partnership reflects the strength of our logistics, technical services and customer experience, and it’s a win for installers who want premium options they can trust.”
Supply Partners noted that initial Tesla Powerwall stock will be warehoused locally before full commercial rollout in March. The distributor stated that the timing aligns with renewed growth momentum for the Powerwall, supported by competitive installer pricing, consumer rebates, and continued product and software updates.
“Powerwall is already a category-defining product, and what’s ahead makes it even more compelling,” Ricketts stated. “As pricing sharpens and capability expands, we see a clear runway for installers to confidently spec Powerwall for premium residential installs, backed by Supply Partners’ national distribution footprint and service model.”
Supply Partners noted that a joint go-to-market launch is planned, including Tesla-led training for its sales and technical teams to support installers during the home battery system’s domestic rollout.
Elon Musk
Tesla Giga Berlin growth could stall if not “free from external influences”: Elon Musk
The comments were delivered in a pre-recorded video discussion.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has reportedly warned that future expansion of Gigafactory Berlin could be jeopardized if the site does not remain “free from external influences.”
Musk’s comments were delivered in a pre-recorded video discussion with employees and came at a sensitive moment for the facility, where union representation has been a recurring issue.
According to reports from Handelsblatt and Der Spiegel, citing participants at the event, Musk suggested that if Giga Berlin is no longer “free from external influences,” further expansion would become unlikely. He did not, however, hint that the plant would shut down.
While Musk did not name IG Metall directly, his remarks were widely interpreted as referencing the union, which is currently the largest faction on the works council but does not hold a majority, as noted in an electrive report.
The video conversation was conducted between Musk in Austin and Grünheide plant manager André Thierig, then played back to the workforce in Germany. Works council elections are scheduled for early March, heightening the tension between management and organized labor.
The CEO has previously voiced concerns that stronger union influence could limit Tesla’s operational flexibility and long-term strategy in Germany.
Despite the warning on expansion, Musk praised the Giga Berlin site during the same address, describing it as one of the most advanced factories worldwide and highlighting its cleanliness and team culture.
The discussion also reportedly touched on battery cell production. According to attendees cited in German media, Musk indicated that Tesla has begun ramping cell production at the site. That would mark a notable shift from earlier expectations that large-scale cell manufacturing in Brandenburg would not begin until 2027.
Tesla Cybercab coming next to Giga Berlin, Optimus possibly after
Tesla Powerwall distribution expands in Australia
