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Spy shots suggest Tesla was testing its automatic emergency braking system at a naval base
Newly found video appears to show Tesla testing or calibrating their automatic emergency braking system prior to the official release of the refreshed Model S. With several recent stories involving alleged failures of the system, the video of the test session is of particular interest.
The video appears to have been shot while Tesla engineers were evaluating automatic braking systems on a runway at the Naval Air Station in Alameda, California. Tesla has long used the facility for testing as it is a mere 30 mile jaunt from the Fremont factory (you may recall the first sighting of the Model X test mule was also on a runway at Alameda).
https://youtu.be/-r4hJ8-hJDg
Despite the video’s misleading title promising a Model 3, the video actually shows two Tesla Model S test cars accompanied by a full-sized pick-up truck that has a soft target on a long arm. The target is typical of tests involving vehicle collision detection and crash mitigation systems. Inflatable tubes and foam panel bodies are mounted on a metal frame and then covered in vinyl. Any potential system failure during testing that leads to impact will result in minimal damage to the test vehicle.
The vast acreage of the runway is ideal for this sort of test and the Tesla engineers are able to do multiple attempts on each pass. Below is a Google Maps satellite view showing runway 25 at the Naval Air Station in Alameda, Calif., site where the tests took place.
Though posted to YouTube on March 31st, the red car in the video is clearly equipped with the recently introduced rear valance and painted rocker panels. The headlights also appear to have the more even pattern of the new daytime runnings lights, though the black nose suggests either the front fascia was not new or is marked to mimic the legacy bumper.
Tesla Model S with painted rear valence rockers
Tesla didn’t officially reveal the refreshed Model S until April 12th, meaning this prototype was captured nearly 2 weeks earlier. The proximity of the test to the release might suggest that last minute calibrations were being verified or that software was being adjusted to maximize the system’s effectiveness with the new sensors’ placement, especially those that were moved behind the fascia itself.
The darker colored car appears to be an older P85. It isn’t captured on the uploaded video doing any of the tests itself. HOV lane stickers on the rear fascia and the older non-LED headlights are clearly visible, reinforcing the likelihood that it was not a subject in this test session.
The Model S’ driver appears only to be observing the movements of the red test car, following it along the runway. At one point, the driver of the pick-up truck with the test rig stops to confer with the person in the darker Model S– even nodding in the direction of the helicopter shooting the video– before resuming test runs.
While automatic emergency braking is part of Tesla’s Autopilot suite of features, it alone isn’t unique. Twenty automakers representing the entirety of the US market have already agreed to make automatic emergency braking systems standard in all new cars and light trucks by the 2022 model year. The agreement was jointly announced in mid-March (about two weeks before this video was posted) by federal regulators with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The IIHS estimates vehicles with the systems are 40% less likely to cause a rear-end crash.
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Elon Musk’s Grokipedia surges to 5.6M articles, almost 79% of English Wikipedia
The explosive growth marks a major milestone for the AI-powered online encyclopedia, which was launched by Elon Musk’s xAI just months ago.
Elon Musk’s Grokipedia has grown to an impressive 5,615,201 articles as of today, closing in on 79% of the English Wikipedia’s current total of 7,119,376 articles.
The explosive growth marks a major milestone for the AI-powered online encyclopedia, which was launched by Elon Musk’s xAI just months ago. Needless to say, it would only be a matter of time before Grokipedia exceeds English Wikipedia in sheer volume.
Grokipedia’s rapid growth
xAI’s vision for Grokipedia emphasizes neutrality, while Grok’s reasoning capabilities allow for fast drafting and fact-checking. When Elon Musk announced the initiative in late September 2025, he noted that Grokipedia would be an improvement to Wikipedia because it would be designed to avoid bias.
At the time, Musk noted that Grokipedia “is a necessary step towards the xAI goal of understanding the Universe.”
Grokipedia was launched in late October, and while xAI was careful to list it only as Version 0.1 at the time, the online encyclopedia immediately earned praise. Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger highlighted the project’s innovative approach, noting how it leverages AI to fill knowledge gaps and enable rapid updates. Netizens also observed how Grokipedia tends to present articles in a more objective manner compared to Wikipedia, which is edited by humans.
Elon Musk’s ambitious plans
With 5,615,201 total articles, Grokipedia has now grown to almost 79% of English Wikipedia’s article base. This is incredibly quick, though Grokipedia remains text-only for now. xAI, for its part, has now updated the online encyclopedia’s iteration to v0.2.
Elon Musk has shared bold ideas for Grokipedia, including sending a record of the entire knowledge base to space as part of xAI’s mission to preserve and expand human understanding. At some point, Musk stated that Grokipedia will be renamed to Encyclopedia Galactica, and it will be sent to the cosmos.
“When Grokipedia is good enough (long way to go), we will change the name to Encyclopedia Galactica. It will be an open source distillation of all knowledge, including audio, images and video. Join xAI to help build the sci-fi version of the Library of Alexandria!” Musk wrote, adding in a later post that “Copies will be etched in stone and sent to the Moon, Mars and beyond. This time, it will not be lost.”
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Tesla Model 3 becomes Netherlands’ best-selling used EV in 2025
More than one in ten second-hand electric cars sold in the country last year was a Tesla Model 3.
The Tesla Model 3 became the most popular used electric car in the Netherlands in 2025, cementing its dominance well beyond the country’s new-car market.
After years at the top of Dutch EV sales charts, the Model 3 now leads the country’s second-hand EV market by a wide margin, as record used-car purchases pushed electric vehicles further into the mainstream.
Model 3 takes a commanding lead
The Netherlands recorded more than 2.1 million used car sales last year, the highest level on record. Of those, roughly 4.8%, or about 102,000 vehicles, were electric. Within that growing segment, the Tesla Model 3 stood far ahead of its competitors.
In 2025 alone, 11,338 used Model 3s changed hands, giving the car an 11.1% share of the country’s entire used EV market. That means more than one in ten second-hand electric cars sold in the country last year was a Tesla Model 3, Auto Week Netherlands reported. The scale of its lead is striking: the gap between the Model 3 and the second-place finisher, the Volkswagen ID3, is more than 6,700 vehicles.
Rivals trail as residual values shape rankings
The Volkswagen ID.3 ranked a distant second, with 4,595 used units sold and a 4.5% market share. Close behind was the Audi e-tron, which placed third with 4,236 registrations. As noted by Auto Week Netherlands, relatively low residual values likely boosted the e-tron’s appeal in the used market, despite its higher original price.
Other strong performers included the Kia Niro, the Tesla Model Y, and the Hyundai Kona, highlighting continued demand for compact and midsize electric vehicles with proven range and reliability. No other model, however, came close to matching the Model 3’s scale or market presence.
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Tesla Model Y Standard Long Range RWD launches in Europe
The update was announced by Tesla Europe & Middle East in a post on its official social media account on X.
Tesla has expanded the Model Y lineup in Europe with the introduction of the Standard Long Range RWD variant, which offers an impressive 657 km of WLTP range.
The update was announced by Tesla Europe & Middle East in a post on its official social media account on X.
Model Y Standard Long Range RWD Details
Tesla Europe & Middle East highlighted some of the Model Y Standard Long Range RWD’s most notable specs, from its 657 km of WLTP range to its 2,118 liters of cargo volume. More importantly, Tesla also noted that the newly released variant only consumes 12.7 kWh per 100 km, making it the most efficient Model Y to date.
The Model Y Standard provides a lower entry point for consumers who wish to enter the Tesla ecosystem at the lowest possible price. While the Model 3 Standard is still more affordable, some consumers might prefer the Model Y Standard due to its larger size and crossover form factor. The fact that the Model Y Standard is equipped with Tesla’s AI4 computer also makes it ready for FSD’s eventual rollout to the region.
Top Gear’s Model Y Standard review
Top Gear‘s recent review of the Tesla Model Y Standard highlighted some of the vehicle’s most notable features, such as its impressive real-world range, stellar infotainment system, and spacious interior. As per the publication, the Model Y Standard still retains a lot of what makes Tesla’s vehicles well-rounded, even if it’s been equipped with a simplified interior.
Top Gear compared the Model Y Standard to its rivals in the same segment. “The introduction of the Standard trim brings the Model Y in line with the entry price of most of its closest competition. In fact, it’s actually cheaper than a Peugeot e-3008 and costs £5k less than an entry-level Audi Q4 e-tron. It also makes the Ford Mustang Mach-E look a little short with its higher entry price and worse range,” the publication wrote.
Elon Musk’s Grokipedia surges to 5.6M articles, almost 79% of English Wikipedia
Tesla Model 3 becomes Netherlands’ best-selling used EV in 2025
