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Tesla Cybertruck factory: Tulsa’s underdog campaign is giving Austin’s bid a run for its money
The site of Tesla’s Cybertruck Gigafactory has not been finalized yet, though reports suggest that there are now only two cities under consideration: Austin, Texas and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Between the two cities, it initially appeared that Austin may be a shoe-in for the electric car maker considering Texas’ ties with SpaceX, Musk’s private space venture. But if there is something that has become evident in recent weeks, it is the fact that Tulsa, Oklahoma will not give up its shot to net Tesla’s next factory without a fight.
The final decision about the site of Tesla’s next electric vehicle factory is expected to be related in a few weeks, perhaps during the company’s upcoming second quarter earnings call. As the days count down to the fateful date, the Tulsa vs Austin race is heating up, with the underdog from Oklahoma seemingly gaining some momentum against Austin, which seems to be encountering some speed bumps in its efforts to secure the Cybertruck Gigafactory.
Travis County, which is home to Austin, is expected to vote this week on a portion of 10 year tax rebates that total over $65 million. However, not everything is going smoothly. Similar to its experience in Gigafactory Berlin, Tesla’s impending arrival has received resistance from a number of local groups. Doing a hearing with the Travis County Commissioners Court last week, for example, representatives from local churches, workers groups, and unions, expressed their concerns about the electric car maker and its proposed incentives.

These issues, at least for now, do not seem to be present at Tulsa. As noted in a Reuters report, Oklahoma has signed a nondisclosure agreement about its incentives package for Tesla, though Commerce Secretary Sean Kouplen noted that its bid is comparable and at parts even better than Austin’s. The bid includes business and personal tax breaks, and most of them are already guaranteed under state law. This meant that the approval of the incentives in Tulsa will not require the kinds of public votes that have already caused several delays in Austin.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Online, the city’s Big F*cking Field Twitter account is on high gear, and all over Tulsa, Tesla fever has pretty much set in. Tulsa’s famous Golden Driller statue has been fitted with a Tesla logo on its chest and a face that eerily resembles CEO Elon Musk. The city has also secured thousands of signatures from engineers who have pledged to move to Tulsa if Tesla decides to set up shop in the city. Local retailers have caught the Tesla bug as well. In a statement to the publication, Kouplen noted that his children came home the other day with a photo of a Tesla-themed snow cone, and a local pizzeria has pledged to give away free pizzas for the city’s would-be Tesla employees.
“The response here continues to be overwhelming. In the time that we’re in, having something positive to hold on to or grab is really making a difference,” Kouplen said.

Quite interestingly, Tesla appeared to have been set on Austin for the site of its Cybertruck Gigafactory. But following reports last month that the company had purchased land in Texas, CEO Elon Musk clarified that Tesla has not made a final decision yet. With this, Tulsa seemed to have put the pedal to the metal, culminating in Musk actually visiting the city earlier this month and being hosted by Oklahoma officials at a massive field that would be the potential site of the upcoming factory. Pictures of the meeting, which featured the CEO candidly speaking with officials, were shared online by Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt.
Oklahoma officials were scheduled to make their pitch to dozens of Tesla executives in a Zoom call on Monday afternoon. Regardless of the results of this, however, one cannot deny the admirable grassroots push that Tulsa has done to make it this far in the race for the Cybertruck Gigafactory. In a previous comment, Kouplen noted that even if Tulsa loses to Austin this time around, it does not mean that the city will never get a Tesla facility. “This won’t be the last factory they build or the last investment they make. We’re building a relationship with Tesla that will continue regardless of what happens this time,” Kouplen said.
Elon Musk
Tesla FSD mocks BMW human driver: Saves pedestrian from near miss
Tesla FSD anticipated a BMW driver’s lane drift before the human behind the wheel could react.
A video posted to r/TeslaFSD this week put a sharp spotlight on Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software being able to react to pedestrian intent than an actual human driver behind the wheel. In the Reddit clip, a BMW driver can be seen rolling through a neighborhood street completely unaware of a pedestrian stepping in to cross. At the same time, a Tesla driving on FSD had already begun slowing down before the pedestrian even began their attempt to cross the street The BMW kept moving, prompting the pedestrian to hop back, while the Tesla came to a stop and provide right-of-way for the human to safely cross.
That gap between what the BMW driver saw and what FSD had already processed is the story. Tesla FSD wasn’t reacting to a person in the street, rather it was reading the signals that a person was about to enter it based on the pedestrian’s movement, trajectory, and their trajectory to telegraph intent.
Tesla’s FSD is now built on an end-to-end neural network trained on billions of real-world miles, learning to interpret subtle human behavioral cues the same way an experienced human driver does instinctively. The difference is consistency. A human driver distracted for two seconds misses what FSD does not.
Tesla sues California DMV over Autopilot and FSD advertising ruling
Reddit commenters in the thread were blunt about the BMW driver’s failure, with several pointing out that the pedestrian was visible well before the crossing. One response put it plainly that the car on FSD saw the situation developing before the human in the other car had registered there was a situation at all.
Tesla has published data showing FSD (Supervised) is 54% safer than a human driver, accumulated across billions of miles driven on the system. Elon Musk has said FSD v14 will outperform human drivers by a factor of two to three, and that v15 has “a shot” at a 10x improvement. Pedestrian safety is where the stakes are highest, and where intent prediction closes the gap fastest. At 30 mph, a car covers roughly 44 feet per second. An extra second of awareness from reading a person’s body language rather than waiting for them to step out is often the difference between a near miss and a fatality.
Video and community discussion: r/TeslaFSD on Reddit
FSD saves man from becoming a pancake. BMW driver nearly flattens him.
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Tesla Robotaxi gets a small but significant change
In the world of Tesla, where billion-dollar battery breakthroughs and autonomy milestones dominate headlines, a quiet design update can still pack a punch.
In the world of Tesla, where billion-dollar battery breakthroughs and autonomy milestones dominate headlines, a quiet design update can still pack a punch.
Last week in downtown Austin, sharp-eyed observers spotted a subtle but telling evolution on the Cybercab: a new “ROBOTAXI” logo graphic now graces the vehicle’s doors at Tesla’s Autonomy Popup.
What looks at first glance like a minor stylistic choice is, in fact, a deliberate rebranding move that hints at how the company envisions its robotaxi fleet fitting into everyday life.
The updated lettering is bold, graffiti-inspired, and unapologetically street-smart. Rendered in black with dripping white accents and a glowing yellow outline, the font evokes urban energy and playful irreverence.
Live From Downtown Austin:
Tesla Cybercab with new logo Graphic at their Autonomy Popup pic.twitter.com/MTTb9KDr3b
— David Moss (@DavidMoss) March 13, 2026
Gone is the sleek, minimalist typography that defined earlier Cybercab prototypes. In its place is something more human, almost rebellious.
The new logo pops against the Cybercab’s smooth, metallic body, turning the autonomous pod into a rolling piece of public art rather than just another futuristic taxi.
Designers know that fonts are silent brand ambassadors. They shape perception before a single ride is taken. Tesla’s classic sans-serif aesthetic screams precision engineering and Silicon Valley cool.
The new Robotaxi script leans into accessibility and fun, suggesting the vehicle is approachable, not intimidating. For a product meant to ferry strangers through city streets 24/7, that matters. It signals that the robotaxi isn’t reserved for tech elites; it’s for everyone.
Tesla Cybercab spotted next to Model Y shows size comparison
The timing is no accident. With regulatory approvals for unsupervised autonomy advancing and Tesla preparing to scale Cybercab production, the company is shifting from prototype showcase to fleet deployment.
A fresh logo helps differentiate the vehicles visually in dense urban environments—crucial for rider recognition and brand recall. It also aligns with Elon Musk’s long-standing ethos: make the future feel exciting, not sterile.
Small changes like this often foreshadow a larger strategy. Tesla has always obsessed over details—door handles, screen interfaces, even the curvature of a steering wheel.
Updating the Robotaxi font reflects the same meticulous care now applied to consumer-facing autonomy. It’s not just paint on metal; it’s a statement that the ride of the future should feel personal, memorable, and undeniably cool.
In an industry racing toward self-driving fleets, Tesla’s willingness to evolve even the smallest visual cues shows confidence. A font won’t launch the robotaxi network, but it might just help millions climb aboard with a smile.
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Tesla makes latest announcement on Model S and Model X
The announcement follows Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s statement on the Q4 2025 earnings call in late January. Musk described the decision as an “honorable discharge” for the two vehicles, noting that production would wind down in Q2 2026.
Tesla has officially begun winding down production of its flagship Model S and Model X in the United States, notifying owners via email that the long-running models will soon reach the end of the line.
The email, sent to U.S. customers on March 27, opens with gratitude. “Model S and Model X marked the beginning of the world’s transition to electric transportation,” it reads. “These vehicles also made it possible for Tesla to develop the technology that would move our world toward autonomy.”
It then delivers the news directly: “As we make way for this autonomous future, Model S and Model X production will be ending. If you’d like to bring home a new Model S or Model X, order yours soon from our limited inventory.”
Tesla just sent out a new email thanking Model S/X owners.
“These vehicles made it possible for Tesla to develop the technology that would move our world toward autonomy. As we make way for this autonomous future, Model S and Model X production will be ending. If you’d like to… pic.twitter.com/IeUhZ3iDnX
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) March 27, 2026
The message closes with a simple thank-you: “Thank you for being part of our journey.”
The announcement follows Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s statement on the Q4 2025 earnings call in late January. Musk described the decision as an “honorable discharge” for the two vehicles, noting that production would wind down in Q2 2026.
The move frees factory floor space at Fremont, California, for next-generation manufacturing, including Optimus humanoid robots and the upcoming Robotaxi platform.
Introduced in 2012 and 2015, respectively, the Model S and Model X were Tesla’s original halo cars. They proved EVs could outperform gasoline luxury vehicles in acceleration, range, and tech features while pioneering over-the-air updates and early autonomy hardware.
Although they never matched the volume of the Model 3 and Model Y, their engineering breakthroughs laid the foundation for the company’s current lineup and full self-driving development.
Early adopters highlighted how the cars convinced them to invest in Tesla stock and the EV movement. Some U.S. owners who had not yet received the note voiced mild frustration, and international customers confirmed the outreach remains U.S.-only for now.
Tesla has not detailed an exact final production date beyond the Q2 2026 target or confirmed immediate replacements. Speculation continues about a possible Cybertruck-derived SUV, but the company’s public focus has shifted squarely to autonomy and robotics.
For buyers still interested in the S or X, the window is closing. Inventory is described as limited, and Tesla’s Korean division has already set a March 31 cutoff for new orders in that market. The email serves as both a farewell and final sales push, an elegant close to a chapter that helped define modern electric driving.