

News
Tesla Collision Avoidance intervenes to prevent driver from impact with truck
A Tesla owner in Australia can thank his Model S this new year after the vehicle’s built-in collision avoidance system, in conjunction with Lane Assist, intervenes to quickly steer them away from a potential side collision with a truck. While Tesla Autopilot’s newest radar technology has been credited with preventing injuries worldwide – most recently seen predicting a collision before it happens – vehicles equipped with Tesla’s Driver Assistance components come with standard safety features that owners may not even be aware of.
Model S P90DL owner Calvin Tam from Australia sent us the following dash cam video showing his Tesla alerting him of a large commercial truck that began to veer into his lane. What’s notable is the fact that Calvin’s Model S quickly steered away from the truck while operating under Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (TACC) and was disengaged from the vehicle’s Autopilot auto-steering capability.
“I felt the pretty firm tug on the steering wheel & heard the triple chime (which sounded like the too close to an object parking chime), the truck nearly hit my rear left side”, says Calvin in speaking with Teslarati.
“This happened on my way to the office in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The exact GPS coordinates are embedded in the video. If you check the map, you’ll see that it’s a long right turn which I normally just have the TACC on, even though Autopilot can handle this particular bend.”
According to Tesla’s owners manual, vehicles equipped with Driver Assistance components consisting of front facing cameras, radar technology and ultrasonic sensors come standard with the company’s Lane Assist, Speed Assist and Collision Avoidance Assist features. These are standard safety features included outfitted with Autopilot hardware, whether it’s with or without the optional Autopilot Tech package.
Sure enough, as we dig deeper into language from the Model S owners manual, we see that the vehicle’s Lane Assist feature is designed to “provide steering interventions if Model S [or Model X] drifts into (or close to) an adjacent lane in which an object, such as a vehicle, is detected.”
Model S owners manual page 83:
In these situations, Model S automatically steers to a safer position in its driving lane. This steering is applied only when Model S is traveling between 45 and 85 mph (70 and 140 km/h) on major roadways with clearly visible lane markings. When Lane Assist applies a steering intervention, the instrument panel briefly displays a warning message.
Tesla notes that the drivers should not be relying on steering interventions to avoid collisions. “Do not rely on steering interventions to avoid side collisions. Lane Assist features are for guidance purposes only and are not intended to replace your own direct visual checks.”
Check out the video below which shows Tesla’s steering intervention taking place, though subtle, as by design, when a large truck passes in close proximity to the Model S.
Elon Musk
Tesla says it is working on rides for the handicapped and disabled with Robotaxi
Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed that this was a focus by responding, “Absolutely,” to the embedded post on X above. Tesla said it is developing its own “wheelchair-accessible vehicle,” also known as a WAV.

Tesla says on its Robotaxi app that it is working on enabling “accessibility rides” that would give the handicapped and disabled the ability to hail a Robotaxi to get to an appointment.
While Robotaxi will obviously revolutionize the way we travel for our work commutes, daily activities, and other things, but there is true potential to enable serious change for those who cannot drive.
Autonomous transportation would make life easier for those who are unable to obtain a driver’s license. Of course, with today’s ride-sharing platforms, things are much easier than they once were.
However, rides from Uber and Lyft, while plentiful, always have an opportunity to be unavailable in some regions, especially rural ones, due to a lack of drivers.
Robotaxi aims to solve this problem through autonomous transportation, a technology that Tesla has been developing for years.
However, new language in the Robotaxi app shows that Tesla is working on a solution for people who need rides for medical reasons, and it uses a picture of the Robovan to hammer this point home:
NEWS: Tesla Working on Accessibility Rides as Part of Robotaxi Expansion.
Tesla’s Robotaxi service in Austin is signaling a major step toward inclusivity with a new accessibility section in the mobile app. While the app directs users to two alternative services, CapMetro Access… pic.twitter.com/rOblFUA40F
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) September 19, 2025
Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed that this was a focus by responding, “Absolutely,” to the embedded post on X above. Tesla said it is developing its own “wheelchair-accessible vehicle,” also known as a WAV.
This is likely the Robovan, which was unveiled on October 10 at the Robotaxi event last year:
It is pretty interesting to see two Musk ventures working on solutions for those who are physically impaired or have other disabilities. With Tesla, Robotaxi will unlock immense potential for those who are unable to drive themselves, addressing a genuine need in today’s world.
Additionally, Neuralink is continuing its development of technology to fight against various physical and mental disabilities. A great question to ask is, “Which will be more beneficial for humans?”
Cybertruck
Tesla gives big hint that it will build Cyber SUV, smaller Cybertruck
“Those are definitely things we’ve considered. Wait & see is probably the best way I can answer that. We’re working on so many innovative & fun things.”

Tesla appears to have given a significant hint that it plans to build two highly anticipated and requested vehicles: the Cyber SUV and a smaller Cybertruck. This potentially indicates that two new cars could be added to the lineup soon.
For some time, Tesla fans have been requesting two things: a true SUV and a more compact Cybertruck. The SUV has been on the minds of fans and owners for some time, as Tesla does not currently build a full-size SUV that competes with vehicles like the Chevrolet Tahoe or Ford Expedition.
Tesla’s longer Model Y did not scale back requests for this vehicle type from fans
Meanwhile, the compact and smaller Cybertruck has been teased for years, especially since the all-electric pickup seems to be a viable option for international markets; however, its size does not seem ideal for the tight roadways in other regions.
Lately, there have been more hints than ever that Tesla is finally considering these two vehicles. It’s all but confirmed, but Tesla has always left breadcrumbs for fans to find and speculate over.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen said that the company has considered these two vehicles for its lineup, but he would not give a definitive “yes” or “no” regarding their development:
“Those are definitely things we’ve considered. Wait & see is probably the best way I can answer that. We’re working on so many innovative & fun things.”
Recently, the speculation regarding the Cyber SUV has been well-fueled, as a recent promotional video Tesla released seemed to show a mock-up design hiding in plain sight:

Credit: Tesla
Interestingly, Tesla said in a regulatory filing early this year that it would not adopt the Cybertruck’s stainless steel exoskeleton for new vehicles. However, it could still launch a design inspired by the Cybertruck, but using different materials.
Very, very interesting observation here.
Tesla said in its Q4 Shareholder Deck that it would not utilize the Stainless Steel Exoskeleton in future vehicles.
Fans have been calling for a full-size SUV in the Tesla lineup.
It would probably do very well. Cost has to be right. https://t.co/VryCVQxEC9 pic.twitter.com/APxeYmF6ew
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) September 1, 2025
As far as the more compact Cybertruck design, this would enable fans in Europe and Asia to purchase the all-electric pickup.
There have been concerns from a regulatory perspective in some countries outside of North America, as the sheer size and sharp edges have caused some concern for other governments:
Tesla Cybertruck gets pushback in Europe, increasing need for ‘international’ version
However, back in 2019, just after the Cybertruck’s unveiling, CEO Elon Musk admitted that there was a place for a smaller version.
News
Tesla Robotaxi is headed to a new U.S. state following latest approval
“Only a trained employee, contractor, or other person authorized by the company can operate or monitor the vehicles.”

Tesla Robotaxi is headed to a new U.S. state following its latest approval, which was revealed on Friday night.
Tesla has been operating its Robotaxi platform in Texas and California, with Austin being the first city where the company could test a ride-hailing platform without anyone in the driver’s seat.
First launching in Austin in late June, Tesla’s focus has been expanding its service area, its fleet of Robotaxi vehicles, and its rider population, which has grown most recently due to its public launch.
However, Tesla is also filing applications in states where these autonomous driving programs can operate, aiming to expand to all 50 states eventually. CEO Elon Musk said earlier this year that the company should be able to offer Robotaxi rides to roughly half of the U.S. population.
Alongside Texas and California, Tesla recently gained permission to test its Robotaxi in Nevada, marking the third state where it had some form of regulatory permission to perform rides using an unreleased version of the Full Self-Driving suite.
Tesla adjusts one key detail of Robotaxi operations in Austin
Now, Tesla has gained another approval in a new state, its fourth, marking a significant step in its expansion across the U.S.
In Arizona, Tesla gained regulatory approval to begin testing autonomous vehicles on public roads.
BREAKING: Tesla has officially received approval from the Arizona Department of Transportation to start testing autonomous vehicles on public roads.
Today, I confirmed directly with the Arizona DOT that @Tesla has met requirements to begin testing its autonomous vehicles in… pic.twitter.com/kjgFnKEcJF
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) September 20, 2025
The vehicles in Austin and the Bay Area of California both use what Tesla has been referring to as “Safety Monitors” in the cars. During city operation in Texas, the Safety Monitor sits in the passenger’s seat. When the route takes the car on the highway, the Safety Monitor jumps into the driver’s seat.
Tesla explains why Robotaxis now have safety monitors in the driver’s seat
In California, the Safety Monitor is always in the driver’s seat.
In Arizona, Tesla will also utilize what a communication said was “Safety Drivers,” insinuating that the monitor would be in the driver’s seat. However, another line in the email states:
“Only a trained employee, contractor, or other person authorized by the company can operate or monitor the vehicles.”
It sounds as if there is the potential for the Safety Monitor to be in either seat, much like Tesla’s process in Austin. However, this is currently unconfirmed.
The new approval marks a drastic step forward for Tesla as it has received two new approvals in just two weeks. Regulatory hurdles seem to still be the biggest bottleneck for Tesla in terms of gaining permissions to operate in new states, but things seem to be moving along pretty well so far.
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