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Tesla Arcade is priming us for the self-driving future, we just don’t know it yet

Teslarati's Tom Cross goes up against Vector Unit co-founder in Beach Buggy Racing 2 (Photo: Teslarati)

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A stone’s throw away from Giants stadium in downtown San Francisco parked an unassuming Midnight Silver Metallic Tesla Model 3, only this one was loaded with a real game-changer. Literally.

“Thanks for coming out to check out the latest Beach Buggy Racing 2,” said game developer and co-founder of Vector Unit, Ralf Knoesel, to Tom Cross and I who had just arrived to witness Tesla’s first foray into the billion-dollar global gaming industry.

“We’re really excited to show you guys what we’ve been working on,” a Tesla representative tells us, further explaining that the electric carmaker had been working with game studios like Vector Unit on developing fun and unique experiences for Tesla drivers and passengers alike. Experiences that would keep them entertained while they’re Supercharging or waiting in a car.

Sure, one can argue that there’s no replacement for the entertainment value that comes by way of Tesla’s in-car fart-on-demand app and its Classic Atari games, but they would be sorely mistaken.

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Tesla Arcade has taken the richness and interactive gameplay of traditional mobile apps and gaming consoles and made them available directly inside the vehicle.

Lightning bolt powerups? Check. Ability to unlock secret boss levels? Absolutely. And do this while challenging a passenger (or perhaps, one day, other outside players) in multi-player mode? F-yeah! It’s all there. And this can all be experienced in full surround sound with active feedback from the vehicle’s steering wheel which doubles as a gaming controller. Playing Tesla Arcade is akin to gaming in the world’s most realistic simulator. Well. Because it is.

40 minutes of gameplay whizzed by before we knew it. And that, my friend, is precisely what Tesla wants. You see, by zapping away time, the feeling of having to wait while charging your car becomes non-existent. More importantly, by creating an SDK that allows app developers to interface with the vehicle’s hardware, Tesla is planting the first seeds that will sprout an iTunes-like ecosystem to support our autonomous future. We just don’t know it yet.

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Entertain Me

If you think about it, it makes complete sense to have a rich library of apps and games inside a vehicle. This will especially be the case when self-driving cars become prevalent.

In a culture where human-to-human connections have given way to our digital overlords, having an extension of your life that includes your favorite video streaming platforms; your favorite business apps; and all of your favorite on-demand services (hi DoorDash, I’m looking at you) with you, while passing time during a commute inside a Tesla, feels like a no-brainer.

By the end of 2020, Elon Musk says Tesla owners will be able to add their vehicles to the company’s self-driving, ride-hailing “Robotaxi” network, which will enable Tesla and its vehicle owners to run a similar business model to Uber or Airbnb. Having entertainment will be paramount, filling the void of awkward conversations with strangers and enhancing the overall ride-sharing experience.

We’re at the cusp of a massive behavioral shift toward enhanced in-car lifestyles. Tesla’s opening of a gaming SDK that allows 3rd party developers to interface with the vehicle’s hardware is a pioneering moment for an entirely new industry that is about to awaken.

“Tesla, order a deep dish pizza from Zachary’s for home delivery at 7 pm.”

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What do you think? Let’s chat in the comments below.

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Lifestyle

Tesla Semi futuristic sci-fi acceleration sound will never get old

Videos that capture the Semi moving at speed are most notable due to their sheer cool factor.

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Credit: Tesla Owners Silicon Valley/X

The Tesla Semi is not yet in mass production, but the company has accumulated over 7.9 million miles across its test fleet. With Tesla using the Semi for its operations, it is no surprise that sightings of the Class 8 all-electric truck have been abounding. 

These sightings from Tesla enthusiasts vary, but those that capture the the Class 8 all-electric truck moving at speed are most notable, possibly due to their sheer cool factor.

Tesla Semi’s Roar

There is something that just stands out with the Semi, particularly on the road. While the Semi does not have the Cybertruck’s brutalist, angular design, it is still very striking because it’s such a massive machine that moves far too quietly for its size. This is, of course, one of the reasons why the vehicle also becomes extra noteworthy when it fires up its electric motors and accelerates.

Take this video from Tesla Owners Silicon Valley, for example, which shows the all-electric hauler accelerating while pulling what appears to be a full load. In these situations, the Tesla Semi actually becomes audible, but unlike traditional diesel-powered truck, the Class 8 all-electric truck “roars” with its own, unique futuristic, sci-fi sound. In such situations, one could feel the Semi’s raw power, which comes from its three independent motors on its rear axles.

Tesla Semi Ramp

Tesla has been promoting the Semi quite a bit as of late, and recent reports have suggested that the company is putting in a lot of effort to prepare the vehicle for its production in Nevada. Tesla’s Careers website has gone live with over 80 Semi-related job openings recently as well, and a recent report has suggested that Tesla has ramped the Semi’s factory workers in Nevada to over 1,000 employees.

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The company has even shared an update video of the Semi factory’s progress near Giga Nevada, as well as the design of the vehicle’s new logo. The Semi’s updated logo is quite interesting as it features elements from the Tesla Model 3’s first logo, which was unveiled way back in 2016.

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Elon Musk jokes he will join Mr Beast’s “100 Men vs 1 Gorilla” challenge

It’s a good sign, if any, that the overworked Musk is becoming a bit more lighthearted again.

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Credit: Elon Musk/X

Following the first quarter Tesla earnings call, CEO Elon Musk seems to have become a bit more relaxed—relaxed enough to joke about fighting a gorilla with 99 other people, at least.

It’s a good sign, if any, that the overworked Musk is becoming a bit more lighthearted again and not too busy picking fights with politicians on social media.

The Viral 100 Men vs 1 Gorilla Challenge

Over the weekend, a post on social media platform X went viral. The post itself was quite simple, with user @DreamChasnMike stating that he thinks 100 men could beat one gorilla. “Everybody just gotta be dedicated to the sh*t,” the X user joked. The post exploded on the platform, garnering 284 million impressions as of writing.

The silly question also triggered a massive debate about whether 100 men would really stand a chance against a literal gorilla. Some users even lamented that the premise was a sign of male hubris. Nevertheless, the question proved to be a fun topic on X, with some more dedicated users even posting simulated videos of what the “100 Men vs 1 Gorilla Challenge” could look like. 

Mr. Beast and Elon Musk Join In

The premise is quite similar to other viral videos from noted YouTube creator Mr. Beast, so it was no surprise that edited images of Mr. Beast YouTube thumbnails with “100 Men vs a Gorilla” also started spreading on the social media platform. Mr. Beast, who tends to be game to such silly ideas, actually reposted the edited image, joking “Need 100 men to test this, any volunteers?”

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In true Elon Musk fashion, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO noted that he would join the challenge. “Sure, what’s the worst that could happen” Musk wrote in his post on X. Musk’s reply triggered quite a few laughs on X, with some stating that the world probably still needs the CEO.

While silly, Musk’s comment and his recent, more frequent posts about his companies’ products like Starlink and Grok have been received well by his supporters. Over the past months, after all, Musk has been very political and quite confrontational on social media. With Musk soon taking a step back from the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) daily operations, however, it seems like X will soon get a more tempered and lighthearted Elon Musk once more.

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Possible first glimpse of Tesla “Model 2” affordable car in Fremont Factory

The models that Tesla will release in the coming months will resemble the company’s current lineup.

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Image Credit: @metgodinwilderness7130/YouTube

During the Q1 earnings call, Tesla VP of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy set expectations on the design of the affordable models that the company is expected to launch this 2025. As per the Tesla executive, the models that Tesla will release in the coming months will resemble the company’s current lineup.

Drone footage from the Fremont Factory earlier this month might have provided the EV community its first potential glimpse at Tesla’s affordable cars–fondly dubbed by EV fans and analysts as the “Model 2” or even “Model Q”–or at least their components and overall shape.

The Sighting

Tesla watcher and drone operator Met God in Wilderness, who has been posting aerial videos of the Fremont Factory for years now, recently shared some footage from his drone flyovers this month. While the Fremont Factory was abuzz with activity as usual, a couple of rather strange vehicles were quickly spotted by EV watchers on social media.

During the drone operator’s flyover on the 17th, for example, an unfinished vehicle could be seen parked next to what appeared to be fully-built Model S and Model Y units. What was especially interesting was the vehicle’s roof, which seemed to be slightly narrower than the Model Ys around it. Based on the video, at least, the vehicle seemed to be shaped like a crossover as well.

Footage from the 24th of April also proved quite interesting, with the drone operator capturing footage of another cryptic vehicle. Unlike the mysterious, unfinished, crossover-esque car spotted on the 17th, this particular unit seemed to have a more sloping rear, at least based on the shape of its covering.

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What Lars Moravy Said

In Tesla’s Q1 2025 Update Letter, Tesla noted that “plans for new vehicles, including more affordable models, remain on track for start of production in the first half of 2025.” Tesla also noted that the new vehicles will utilize aspects of its next generation and its current platforms. They will also be produced on the same manufacturing lines as its present vehicle lineup, likely the Model Y and Model 3. 

During the earnings call itself, Moravy specifically stated that the new models that would come out in the next months would resemble the company’s current vehicles. They will, however, be affordable. “Models that come out in next months will be built on our lines and will resemble, in form and shape, the cars we currently make. And the key is that they’ll be affordable, and you’ll be able to buy one,” Moravy stated.

Watch the drone operator’s footage from April 17 below.

The drone operator’s footage from April 24 can be viewed below.

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