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.
Elon Musk
Tesla Megapack powers $1.1B AI data center project in Brazil
By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.
Tesla’s Megapack battery systems will be deployed as part of a 400MW AI data center campus in Uberlândia, Brazil. The initiative is described as one of Latin America’s largest AI infrastructure projects.
The project is being led by RT-One, which confirmed that the facility will integrate Tesla Megapack battery energy storage systems (BESS) as part of a broader industrial alliance that includes Hitachi Energy, Siemens, ABB, HIMOINSA, and Schneider Electric. The project is backed by more than R$6 billion (approximately $1.1 billion) in private capital.
According to RT-One, the data center is designed to operate on 100% renewable energy while also reinforcing regional grid stability.
“Brazil generates abundant energy, particularly from renewable sources such as solar and wind. However, high renewable penetration can create grid stability challenges,” RT-One President Fernando Palamone noted in a post on LinkedIn. “Managing this imbalance is one of the country’s growing infrastructure priorities.”
By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.
“The facility will be capable of absorbing excess electricity when supply is high and providing stabilization services when the grid requires additional support. This approach enhances resilience, improves reliability, and contributes to a more efficient use of renewable generation,” Palamone added.
The model mirrors approaches used in energy-intensive regions such as California and Texas, where large battery systems help manage fluctuations tied to renewable energy generation.
The RT-One President recently visited Tesla’s Megafactory in Lathrop, California, where Megapacks are produced, as part of establishing the partnership. He thanked the Tesla team, including Marcel Dall Pai, Nicholas Reale, and Sean Jones, for supporting the collaboration in his LinkedIn post.
Elon Musk
Starlink powers Europe’s first satellite-to-phone service with O2 partnership
The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools.
Starlink is now powering Europe’s first commercial satellite-to-smartphone service, as Virgin Media O2 launches a space-based mobile data offering across the UK.
The new O2 Satellite service uses Starlink’s low-Earth orbit network to connect regular smartphones in areas without terrestrial coverage, expanding O2’s reach from 89% to 95% of Britain’s landmass.
Under the rollout, compatible Samsung devices automatically connect to Starlink satellites when users move beyond traditional mobile coverage, according to Reuters.
The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools. O2 is pricing the add-on at £3 per month.
By leveraging Starlink’s satellite infrastructure, O2 can deliver connectivity in remote and rural regions without building additional ground towers. The move represents another step in Starlink’s push beyond fixed broadband and into direct-to-device mobile services.
Virgin Media O2 chief executive Lutz Schuler shared his thoughts about the Starlink partnership. “By launching O2 Satellite, we’ve become the first operator in Europe to launch a space-based mobile data service that, overnight, has brought new mobile coverage to an area around two-thirds the size of Wales for the first time,” he said.
Satellite-based mobile connectivity is gaining traction globally. In the U.S., T-Mobile has launched a similar satellite-to-cell offering. Meanwhile, Vodafone has conducted satellite video call tests through its partnership with AST SpaceMobile last year.
For Starlink, the O2 agreement highlights how its network is increasingly being integrated into national telecom systems, enabling standard smartphones to connect directly to satellites without specialized hardware.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s Starbase, TX included in $84.6 million coastal funding round
The funds mark another step in the state’s ongoing beach restoration and resilience efforts along the Gulf Coast.
Elon Musk’s Starbase, Texas has been included in an $84.6 million coastal funding round announced by the Texas General Land Office (GLO). The funds mark another step in the state’s ongoing beach restoration and resilience efforts along the Gulf Coast.
Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham confirmed that 14 coastal counties will receive funding through the Coastal Management Program (CMP) Grant Cycle 31 and Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Act (CEPRA) program Cycle 14. Among the Brownsville-area recipients listed was the City of Starbase, which is home to SpaceX’s Starship factory.
“As someone who spent more than a decade living on the Texas coast, ensuring our communities, wildlife, and their habitats are safe and thriving is of utmost importance. I am honored to bring this much-needed funding to our coastal communities for these beneficial projects,” Commissioner Buckingham said in a press release.
“By dedicating this crucial assistance to these impactful projects, the GLO is ensuring our Texas coast will continue to thrive and remain resilient for generations to come.”
The official Starbase account acknowledged the support in a post on X, writing: “Coastal resilience takes teamwork. We appreciate @TXGLO and Commissioner Dawn Buckingham for their continued support of beach restoration projects in Starbase.”
The funding will support a range of coastal initiatives, including beach nourishment, dune restoration, shoreline stabilization, habitat restoration, and water quality improvements.
CMP projects are backed by funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, alongside local partner matches. CEPRA projects focus specifically on reducing coastal erosion and are funded through allocations from the Texas Legislature, the Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax, and GOMESA.
Checks were presented in Corpus Christi and Brownsville to counties, municipalities, universities, and conservation groups. In addition to Starbase, Brownsville-area recipients included Cameron County, the City of South Padre Island, Willacy County, and the Willacy County Navigation District.
Tesla Megapack powers $1.1B AI data center project in Brazil
Starlink powers Europe’s first satellite-to-phone service with O2 partnership
