There are times when small gestures could mean the difference between a company that cares and a company that simply treats its customers as numbers on a balance sheet. Just recently, Tesla proved that it is an example of the former, with CEO Elon Musk notifying a wheelchair bound Model 3 customer that the electric car maker will be installing a power liftgate on his all electric sedan — and the upgrade will be on the house.
The story of the Model 3 customer, which was related through a letter, was shared by the Tesla China Twitter account. Writing to the company, the customer noted that the Model 3 had been his dream car since April 2016, when he placed a reservation for the all electric sedan. Unfortunately, tragedy struck in 2018 when he met an accident, resulting in a spinal injury.
After the accident, the Model 3 customer lost his ability to use his legs. Confined to a wheelchair and with his dream car seemingly out of his grasp, the EV enthusiast opted to cancel his Model 3 order. His dream to own a Tesla Model 3 seemed dashed until he returned to work and learned that his wheelchair did not fully deter him from doing his job properly.
His experience at work led him to dream of regaining his ability to drive. He firmly set a goal to apply for a C5 license in China, which is used by individuals with special needs. The Model 3 owner successfully received his C5 license in 2019, and when it was time to look for a vehicle, he immediately gravitated towards Tesla’s midsize sedan.
Unfortunately, the imported Model 3 was out of his price range then. The Tesla fan decided to get BYD Qin ProDM instead, since it was affordable and it also had a feature like Smart Summon. In the long run, though, BYD’s Smart Summon-like feature could not handle certain slopes, which proved inconvenient. And thus, the idea of revisiting the Model 3 was in order.
Fortunately, Gigafactory Shanghai had started producing the MIC Model 3 at the time, and it was available for a reasonable price. The Tesla enthusiast did not hesitate this time around. He pulled the trigger on a Long Range RWD variant of the locally made sedan. His vehicle will have basic Autopilot, which should help make driving easier. However, he opted to not order the Full Self Driving suite, at least for now, or at least until a good payment scheme is available.
With his order now on the way, the Model 3 customer asked the electric car maker if it could make features like Smart Summon standard in its vehicles in the future. Such features, after all, may seem like party tricks to the layman, but they are life changing for individuals with mobility issues. The Tesla enthusiast also asked if Tesla could install a power liftgate for the frunk and trunk of the Model 3, since closing the frunk and trunk are very difficult for wheelchair bound individuals.
Interestingly enough, Elon Musk responded to the Model 3 customer’s request, stating that Tesla would be adding a power liftgate at no additional cost. It’s a relatively small gesture, but it shows a degree of empathy that’s quite rare among carmakers today. The upgrade will cost Tesla a bit more to produce the vehicle, after all, but it would mean a big difference for the Model 3 customer.
Elon Musk is no stranger to goodwill gestures to Tesla customers. Back in 2017, for example, Musk offered to fix the damages on a Model S for free after its owner used the vehicle to save a fellow driver on the road. During the incident, the Model S owner noticed that another driver was slumped over the steering wheel. Responding quickly, the Tesla owner used his Model S to stop the other vehicle. Once the two cars were stopped, the Tesla driver proceeded to administer first aid. The CEO lauded the actions of the driver, later stating that Tesla will be providing all repair costs free of charge.
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Tesla (TSLA) receives “Buy” rating and $551 PT from Canaccord Genuity
He also maintained a “Buy” rating for TSLA stock over the company’s improving long-term outlook, which is driven by autonomy and robotics.
Canaccord Genuity analyst George Gianarikas raised his Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) price target from $482 to $551. He also maintained a “Buy” rating for TSLA stock over the company’s improving long-term outlook, which is driven by autonomy and robotics.
The analyst’s updated note
Gianarikas lowered his 4Q25 delivery estimates but pointed to several positive factors in the Tesla story. He noted that EV adoption in emerging markets is gaining pace, and progress in FSD and the Robotaxi rollout in 2026 represent major upside drivers. Further progress in the Optimus program next year could also add more momentum for the electric vehicle maker.
“Overall, yes, 4Q25 delivery expectations are being revised lower. However, the reset in the US EV market is laying the groundwork for a more durable and attractive long-term demand environment.
“At the same time, EV penetration in emerging markets is accelerating, reinforcing Tesla’s potential multi‑year growth runway beyond the US. Global progress in FSD and the anticipated rollout of a larger robotaxi fleet in 2026 are increasingly important components of the Tesla equity story and could provide sentiment tailwinds,” the analyst wrote.
Tesla’s busy 2026
The upcoming year would be a busy one for Tesla, considering the company’s plans and targets. The autonomous two-seat Cybercab has been confirmed to start production sometime in Q2 2026, as per Elon Musk during the 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting.
Apart from this, Tesla is also expected to unveil the next-generation Roadster on April 1, 2026. Tesla is also expected to start high-volume production of the Tesla Semi in Nevada next year.
Apart from vehicle launches, Tesla has expressed its intentions to significantly ramp the rollout of FSD to several regions worldwide, such as Europe. Plans are also underway to launch more Robotaxi networks in several more key areas across the United States.
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Waymo sues Santa Monica over order to halt overnight charging sessions
In its complaint, Waymo argued that its self-driving cars’ operations do not constitute a public nuisance, and compliance with the city’s order would cause the company irreparable harm.
Waymo has filed a lawsuit against the City of Santa Monica in Los Angeles County Superior Court, seeking to block an order that requires the company to cease overnight charging at two facilities.
In its complaint, Waymo argued that its self-driving cars’ operations do not constitute a public nuisance, and compliance with the city’s order would cause the company irreparable harm.
Nuisance claims
As noted in a report from the Los Angeles Times, Waymo’s two charging sites at Euclid Street and Broadway have operated for about a year, supporting the company’s growing fleet with round-the-clock activity. Unfortunately, this has also resulted in residents in the area reportedly being unable to sleep due to incessant beeping from self-driving taxis that are moving in and out of the charging stations around the clock.
Frustrated residents have protested against the Waymos by blocking the vehicles’ paths, placing cones, and “stacking” cars to create backups. This has also resulted in multiple calls to the police.
Last month, the city issued an order to Waymo and its charging partner, Voltera, to cease overnight operations at the charging locations, stating that the self-driving vehicles’ activities at night were a public nuisance. A December 15 meeting yielded no agreement on mitigations like software rerouting. Waymo proposed changes, but the city reportedly insisted that nothing would satisfy the irate residents.
“We are disappointed that the City has chosen an adversarial path over a collaborative one. The City’s position has been to insist that no actions taken or proposed by Waymo would satisfy the complaining neighbors and therefore must be deemed insufficient,” a Waymo spokesperson stated.
Waymo pushes back
In its legal complaint, Waymo stated that its “activities at the Broadway Facilities do not constitute a public nuisance.” The company also noted that it “faces imminent and irreparable harm to its operations, employees, and customers” from the city’s order. The suit also stated that the city was fully aware that the Voltera charging sites would be operating around the clock to support Waymo’s self-driving taxis.
The company highlighted over one million trips in Santa Monica since launch, with more than 50,000 rides starting or ending there in November alone. Waymo also criticized the city for adopting a contentious strategy against businesses.
“The City of Santa Monica’s recent actions are inconsistent with its stated goal of attracting investment. At a time when the City faces a serious fiscal crisis, officials are choosing to obstruct properly permitted investment rather than fostering a ‘ready for business’ environment,” Waymo stated.
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Tesla FSD v14.2.2 is getting rave reviews from drivers
So far, early testers have reported buttery-smooth drives with confident performance, even at night or on twisty roads.
Tesla Full Self-Driving (Supervised) v14.2.2 is receiving positive reviews from owners, with several drivers praising the build’s lack of hesitation during lane changes and its smoother decision-making, among others.
The update, which started rolling out on Monday, also adds features like dynamic arrival pin adjustment. So far, early testers have reported buttery-smooth drives with confident performance, even at night or on twisty roads.
Owners highlight major improvements
Longtime Tesla owner and FSD user @BLKMDL3 shared a detailed 10-hour impression of FSD v14.2.2, noting that the system exhibited “zero lane change hesitation” and “extremely refined” lane choices. He praised Mad Max mode’s performance, stellar parking in locations including ticket dispensers, and impressive canyon runs even in dark conditions.
Fellow FSD user Dan Burkland reported an hour of FSD v14.2.2’s nighttime driving with “zero hesitations” and “buttery smooth” confidence reminiscent of Robotaxi rides in areas such as Austin, Texas. Veteran FSD user Whole Mars Catalog also demonstrated voice navigation via Grok, while Tesla owner Devin Olsen completed a nearly two-hour drive with FSD v14.2.2 in heavy traffic and rain with strong performance.
Closer to unsupervised
FSD has been receiving rave reviews, even from Tesla’s competitors. Xpeng CEO He Xiaopeng, for one, offered fresh praise for FSD v14.2 after visiting Silicon Valley. Following extended test drives of Tesla vehicles running the latest FSD software, He stated that the system has made major strides, reinforcing his view that Tesla’s approach to autonomy is indeed the proper path towards autonomy.
According to He, Tesla’s FSD has evolved from a smooth Level 2 advanced driver assistance system into what he described as a “near-Level 4” experience in terms of capabilities. While acknowledging that areas of improvement are still present, the Xpeng CEO stated that FSD’s current iteration significantly surpasses last year’s capabilities. He also reiterated his belief that Tesla’s strategy of using the same autonomous software and hardware architecture across private vehicles and robotaxis is the right long-term approach, as it would allow users to bypass intermediate autonomy stages and move closer to Level 4 functionality.
Tesla (TSLA) receives “Buy” rating and $551 PT from Canaccord Genuity
Waymo sues Santa Monica over order to halt overnight charging sessions
