News
Tesla drivers will be able to rate Destination Chargers from their vehicle’s Nav, says Elon Musk
Tesla’s Destination Charging network gives its drivers the convenience of topping off their vehicle’s batteries when parked in select establishments, such as hotels, restaurants, and shopping centers, among other businesses. Just like the company’s high-power Superchargers, the Destination Charger network continues to grow larger by the day; and if a recent tweet from Elon Musk is any indication, the Level 2 charging solutions would soon be a bit more interactive as well.
In response to Tesla owner Josh Cunningham, who asked if there could be a feedback system for Destination Chargers, CEO Elon Musk noted that leaving comments, suggestions, or ratings for Destination Chargers should be made accessible from the vehicles. Musk liked the idea, stating that the feedback feature would be introduced.
Good idea, we will add this feature!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 13, 2018
Tesla’s Destination Chargers do not charge as quickly as the company’s acclaimed Superchargers, but nevertheless, the conveniently-placed chargers are still capable of replenishing roughly 58 miles (93 kilometers) of range per hour, or roughly one-sixth the power of a Supercharger. Tesla pitches the Destination Chargers as a way to promote businesses, especially since the locations would be visible in the company’s official website and its fleet’s in-car navigation system.
As the number of Destination Chargers increase, some businesses are now finding out that their ratings online could be affected by how well they manage their chargers. A quick look at travel assistant website TripAdvisor, for one, would quickly show feedback from travelers about businesses that have the Level 2 chargers installed. This 5-star review for the Fairview Inn in Jackson, Mississippi, as well as this unfortunate 1-star review for The Red Coach Inn Historic Bed and Breakfast Hotel at Niagara Falls in New York, for example, are partly based on how the businesses handled the charging needs of guests with electric cars. So far, these reviews are only found on dedicated websites like TripAdvisor, but with Tesla’s upcoming feedback system, owners would be able to submit and see ratings for Destination Chargers from the comfort of their vehicles.
The introduction of an in-vehicle feedback system for Destination Chargers comes amidst the company’s initiative to “gamify” its Supercharger experience and make its vehicles more fun. Earlier this year, Elon Musk announced on Twitter that Tesla would be introducing drive-in Superchargers with amenities such as outdoor movie screens and rock-themed restaurants. Together with this was an announcement that Tesla would give digital trophies for travelers that visit specific Supercharger stations.
Tesla is not ending its gamification initiatives with Superchargers alone. In a Twitter announcement right before the Q2 2018 earnings call, Elon Musk stated that Tesla would introduce classic Atari games such as Pole Position, Tempest, and Missile Command with the release of Software Version 9. Some of the games, such as Pole Position, would be controlled through the electric cars’ steering wheel. Considering that Software Version 9 is expected to be initially rolled out later this month before seeing a wide release in September, it might only be a matter of time before Tesla’s fleet becomes a little bit more interactive, and a lot more gamified.
News
Tesla Model 3 named New Zealand’s best passenger car of 2025
Tesla flipped the switch on Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in September, turning every Model 3 and Model Y into New Zealand’s most advanced production car overnight.
The refreshed Tesla Model 3 has won the DRIVEN Car Guide AA Insurance NZ Car of the Year 2025 award in the Passenger Car category, beating all traditional and electric rivals.
Judges praised the all-electric sedan’s driving dynamics, value-packed EV tech, and the game-changing addition of Full Self-Driving (Supervised) that went live in New Zealand this September.
Why the Model 3 clinched the crown
DRIVEN admitted they were late to the “Highland” party because the updated sedan arrived in New Zealand as a 2024 model, just before the new Model Y stole the headlines. Yet two things forced a re-evaluation this year.
First, experiencing the new Model Y reminded testers how many big upgrades originated in the Model 3, such as the smoother ride, quieter cabin, ventilated seats, rear touchscreen, and stalk-less minimalist interior. Second, and far more importantly, Tesla flipped the switch on Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in September, turning every Model 3 and Model Y into New Zealand’s most advanced production car overnight.
FSD changes everything for Kiwi buyers
The publication called the entry-level rear-wheel-drive version “good to drive and represents a lot of EV technology for the money,” but highlighted that FSD elevates it into another league. “Make no mistake, despite the ‘Supervised’ bit in the name that requires you to remain ready to take control, it’s autonomous and very capable in some surprisingly tricky scenarios,” the review stated.
At NZ$11,400, FSD is far from cheap, but Tesla also offers FSD (Supervised) on a $159 monthly subscription, making the tech accessible without the full upfront investment. That’s a game-changer, as it allows users to access the company’s most advanced system without forking over a huge amount of money.
News
Tesla starts rolling out FSD V14.2.1 to AI4 vehicles including Cybertruck
FSD V14.2.1 was released just about a week after the initial FSD V14.2 update was rolled out.
It appears that the Tesla AI team burned the midnight oil, allowing them to release FSD V14.2.1 on Thanksgiving. The update has been reported by Tesla owners with AI4 vehicles, as well as Cybertruck owners.
For the Tesla AI team, at least, it appears that work really does not stop.
FSD V14.2.1
Initial posts about FSD V14.2.1 were shared by Tesla owners on social media platform X. As per the Tesla owners, V14.2.1 appears to be a point update that’s designed to polish the features and capacities that have been available in FSD V14. A look at the release notes for FSD V14.2.1, however, shows that an extra line has been added.
“Camera visibility can lead to increased attention monitoring sensitivity.”
Whether this could lead to more drivers being alerted to pay attention to the roads more remains to be seen. This would likely become evident as soon as the first batch of videos from Tesla owners who received V14.21 start sharing their first drive impressions of the update. Despite the update being released on Thanksgiving, it would not be surprising if first impressions videos of FSD V14.2.1 are shared today, just the same.
Rapid FSD releases
What is rather interesting and impressive is the fact that FSD V14.2.1 was released just about a week after the initial FSD V14.2 update was rolled out. This bodes well for Tesla’s FSD users, especially since CEO Elon Musk has stated in the past that the V14.2 series will be for “widespread use.”
FSD V14 has so far received numerous positive reviews from Tesla owners, with numerous drivers noting that the system now drives better than most human drivers because it is cautious, confident, and considerate at the same time. The only question now, really, is if the V14.2 series does make it to the company’s wide FSD fleet, which is still populated by numerous HW3 vehicles.
News
Waymo rider data hints that Tesla’s Cybercab strategy might be the smartest, after all
These observations all but validate Tesla’s controversial two-seat Cybercab strategy, which has caught a lot of criticism since it was unveiled last year.
Toyota Connected Europe designer Karim Dia Toubajie has highlighted a particular trend that became evident in Waymo’s Q3 2025 occupancy stats. As it turned out, 90% of the trips taken by the driverless taxis carried two or fewer passengers.
These observations all but validate Tesla’s controversial two-seat Cybercab strategy, which has caught a lot of criticism since it was unveiled last year.
Toyota designer observes a trend
Karim Dia Toubajie, Lead Product Designer (Sustainable Mobility) at Toyota Connected Europe, analyzed Waymo’s latest California Public Utilities Commission filings and posted the results on LinkedIn this week.
“90% of robotaxi trips have 2 or less passengers, so why are we using 5-seater vehicles?” Toubajie asked. He continued: “90% of trips have 2 or less people, 75% of trips have 1 or less people.” He accompanied his comments with a graphic showing Waymo’s occupancy rates, which showed 71% of trips having one passenger, 15% of trips having two passengers, 6% of trips having three passengers, 5% of trips having zero passengers, and only 3% of trips having four passengers.
The data excludes operational trips like depot runs or charging, though Toubajie pointed out that most of the time, Waymo’s massive self-driving taxis are really just transporting 1 or 2 people, at times even no passengers at all. “This means that most of the time, the vehicle being used significantly outweighs the needs of the trip,” the Toyota designer wrote in his post.
Cybercab suddenly looks perfectly sized
Toubajie gave a nod to Tesla’s approach. “The Tesla Cybercab announced in 2024, is a 2-seater robotaxi with a 50kWh battery but I still believe this is on the larger side of what’s required for most trips,” he wrote.
With Waymo’s own numbers now proving 90% of demand fits two seats or fewer, the wheel-less, lidar-free Cybercab now looks like the smartest play in the room. The Cybercab is designed to be easy to produce, with CEO Elon Musk commenting that its product line would resemble a consumer electronics factory more than an automotive plant. This means that the Cybercab could saturate the roads quickly once it is deployed.
While the Cybercab will likely take the lion’s share of Tesla’s ride-hailing passengers, the Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover would be perfect for the remaining 9% of riders who require larger vehicles. This should be easy to implement for Tesla, as the Model Y and Model 3 are both mass-market vehicles.
