News
Tesla’s built-in dashcam helps identify suspect in road rage incident
Tesla’s built-in dashcam recently helped the case of an electric car owner who was assaulted following a road rage incident at Meridian, Idaho earlier this week. The incident, which started from a simple misunderstanding on the road, resulted in the electric car owner receiving multiple blows to the head and the suspect being booked on a misdemeanor battery charge.
Len Anderson was driving home on his Tesla last Tuesday when he passed a white Hyundai sedan that was taking a left turn off E. Presidential Drive in Meridian. While the Hyundai’s driver used his blinkers to indicate that he was turning left, Anderson figured that he had right of way. As such, he opted to accelerate. This decision, as well as the speed of his car due to its instant torque, did not sit well with the Hyundai’s driver.
In a statement to local media outlet Idaho News, Anderson stated that the Hyundai driver eventually followed him home. At one point, the driver of the white sedan rolled down his window and reportedly yelled at the electric car owner.
“This guy thinks (he’s) cool zipping down the road cutting off people with his Tesla. How dare you drive like that when we have a baby in our car!” the driver said, according to Anderson.
Things only escalated from there. Anderson noted that as he was heading to his mailbox to pick up his mail, the Hyundai’s driver got out of his car and started taking footage of his house and his Tesla. The white sedan’s driver then reportedly closed in, resulting in Anderson yelling at the man to step back. With the driver just inches from his face, Anderson pushed the man away, resulting in the driver’s phone getting knocked out of his hand.
-->It did not take long before Anderson was knocked to the ground by a punch from the Hyundai’s driver. The Tesla owner noted that the man hit him around 20 times in the head as he lay in a fetal position. Fortunately, Anderson was able to get a photo of the man before he was assaulted, which was later shared online by the Meridian Police Department. The suspect, who was identified as 36-year-old Walter Gage Anderson turned himself in to his probation and parole officer after. Footage from the electric car’s built-in dashcam provided further evidence in the incident.
Reviewing the footage from the built-in dashcam of Anderson’s Tesla, a representative of Meridian PD noted that the electric car owner did not violate traffic rules when he crossed the intersection.
“He was following the correct traffic procedures. I think he may have sped up a little bit at the intersection, but he definitely had the right of way. And it’s really not even about the right of way rule. It really is about common courtesy. You don’t know who you’re dealing with in that other vehicle. No reason to try to get into a physical confrontation with anybody,” the Meridian PD representative said in a statement to KTVB-TV.
Tesla’s built-in dashcam feature was rolled out by the electric car maker to aid drivers in situations similar to those faced by Anderson. By providing footage of what transpired on the road, Tesla owners would be able to back up their side of the story in case they find themselves in an untoward situation. Such an event happened last October, when a Tesla Model 3 was involved in a nighttime accident with a Honda Accord that did not have its lights on. When authorities arrived, the Model 3 owner and the driver of the Accord provided different accounts of the incident. Fortunately, video from the electric car’s built-in dashcam quickly proved the Tesla owner’s point.
Watch a news segment featuring Anderson’s footage from his Tesla’s built-in dashcam in the video below.
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News
Tesla’s new Holiday perk is timed perfectly to make FSD a household name
Tesla AI4 owners get FSD (Supervised) through Christmas, New Year’s Eve and well into the post-holiday travel season.
Tesla quietly rolled out a free Full Self-Driving (Supervised) trial for roughly 1.5 million HW4 owners in North America who never bought the package, and the timing could very well be genius.
As it turns out, the trial doesn’t end after 30 days. Instead, it expires January 8, 2026, meaning owners get FSD (Supervised) through Christmas, New Year’s Eve and well into the post-holiday travel season. This extended window positions the feature for maximum word-of-mouth exposure.
A clever holiday gift
Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt first spotted the detail after multiple owners shared screenshots showing the trial expiring on January 8. He confirmed with affected users that none had active FSD subscriptions before the rollout. He also observed that Tesla never called the promotion a “30-day trial,” as the in-car message simply reads “You’re Getting FSD (Supervised) For the Holidays,” which technically runs until after the new year.
The roughly 40-day period covers peak family travel and gatherings, giving owners ample opportunity to showcase the latest FSD V14’s capabilities on highway trips, crowded parking lots and neighborhood drives. With relatives riding along, hands-off highway driving and automatic lane changes could become instant conversation starters.
Rave reviews for FSD V14 highlight demo potential
FSD has been receiving positive reviews from users as of late. Following the release of FSD v14.2.1, numerous owners praised the update for its smoothness and reliability. Tesla owner @LactoseLunatic called it a “huge leap forward from version 14.1.4,” praising extreme smoothness, snappy lane changes and assertive yet safe behavior that allows relaxed monitoring.
-->Another Tesla owner, @DevinOlsenn, drove 600 km without disengagements, noting his wife now defaults to FSD for daily use due to its refined feel. Sawyer Merritt also tested FSD V14.2.1 in snow on unplowed New Hampshire roads, and the system stayed extra cautious without hesitation. Longtime FSD tester Chuck Cook highlighted improved sign recognition in school zones, showing better dynamic awareness. These reports of fewer interventions and a more “sentient” drive could turn family passengers into advocates, fueling subscriptions come January.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk predicts AI and robotics could make work “optional” within 20 years
Speaking on entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath’s podcast, Musk predicted that machines will soon handle most forms of labor, leaving humans to work only if they choose to.
Elon Musk stated that rapid advances in artificial intelligence and robotics could make traditional work unnecessary within two decades.
Speaking on entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath’s podcast, Musk predicted that machines will soon handle most forms of labor, leaving humans to work only if they choose to.
Work as a “hobby”
During the discussion, Musk said the accelerating capability of AI systems and general-purpose robots will eventually cover all essential tasks, making human labor a choice rather than an economic requirement. “In less than 20 years, working will be optional. Working at all will be optional. Like a hobby,” Musk said.
When Kamath asked whether this future is driven by massive productivity growth, Musk agreed, noting that people will still be free to work if they enjoy the routine or the challenge. He compared future employment to home gardening, as it is something people can still do for personal satisfaction even if buying food from a store is far easier.
“Optional” work in the future
Elon Musk acknowledged the boldness of his claim and joked that people might look back in 20 years and say he was wrong. That being said, the CEO noted that such a scenario could even happen sooner than his prediction, at least if one were to consider the pace of the advancements in AI and robotics.
-->“Obviously people can play this back in 20 years and say, ‘Look, Elon made this ridiculous prediction and it’s not true,’ but I think it will turn out to be true, that in less than 20 years, maybe even as little as ten or 15 years, the advancements in AI and robotics will bring us to the point where working is optional,” Musk said.
Elon Musk’s comments echo his previous sentiments at Tesla’s 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, where he noted that Optimus could ultimately eliminate poverty. He also noted that robots like Optimus could eventually provide people worldwide with the best medical care.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk reiterates why Tesla will never make an electric motorcycle
Tesla CEO Elon Musk preemptively shut down speculations about a Tesla road bike once more.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk preemptively shut down speculations about a Tesla road bike once more, highlighting that the electric vehicle maker has no plans to enter the electric motorcycle market.
Musk posted his clarification in a post on X.
Musk’s reply to a fun AI video
X user @Moandbhr posted an AI video featuring the Tesla CEO on the social media platform, captioning it with “Mr. Elon Musk Just Revealed the Game-Changing Tesla Motorcycle.” The short clip depicted Musk approaching a sleek, single-wheeled vehicle, stepping onto it, and gliding off into the distance amid cheers. The fun video received a lot of traction on X, gaining 3.1 million views as of writing.
Musk replied to the post, stating that a Tesla motorcycle is not going to happen. “Never happening, as we can’t make motorcycles safe. For Community Notes, my near death experience was on a road bike. Dirt bikes are safe if you ride carefully, as you can’t be smashed by a truck,” Musk wrote in his reply.
Musk’s Past Comments on Two-Wheelers
Musk also detailed his reservations about motorcycles in a December 2019 X post while responding to questions about Tesla’s potential ATV. At the time, he responded positively to an electric ATV, though he also opposed the idea of a Tesla road-going motorcycle. Musk did state that electric dirt bikes might be cool, since they do not operate in areas where large vehicles like Class 8 trucks are present.
-->“Electric dirt bikes would be cool too. We won’t do road bikes, as too dangerous. I was hit by a truck & almost died on one when I was 17,” Musk wrote in his post.
Considering Musk’s comments about dirt bikes, however, perhaps Tesla would eventually offer a road bike as a recreational vehicle. Such a two-wheeler would be a good fit for the Cybertruck, as well as future products like the Robovan, which could be converted into an RV.
Tesla’s new Holiday perk is timed perfectly to make FSD a household name
Elon Musk predicts AI and robotics could make work “optional” within 20 years
