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Tesla and EVs’ popularity pushes car carrier companies to seek higher weight limits
With the transition to electric vehicles now inevitable, car carrier companies are urging politicians and the Biden administration to raise the truck weight limitations on the United States’ highways. By doing so, car carrier companies could transport more electric vehicles. But inasmuch as the proposal seems sound, the rail sector and safety activists strongly oppose the idea, with critics arguing that heavier trucks mean more dangerous roads.
It should be noted that even before electric vehicles like the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y became mainstream, American vehicles were already getting heavier. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average weight of automobiles and trucks on US highways has grown from 3,200 pounds to 4,200 pounds during the last 40 years. That was far before vehicles like the Tesla Model S surged in popularity.
For now, electric vehicles comprise less than 1% of the cars on US roads, but US President Joe Biden and his administration have pushed for half of vehicle sales by 2030 to be comprised of EVs. This is great for the environment, but pushing more EVs has an aftereffect of sorts. Since electric cars are heavier than their combustion-powered counterparts due to their large batteries, car carrier companies simply cannot transport as many of them as quickly under the current weight limits for car carrier trucks on the road, according to an Autoblog report.
Sarah Amico, executive chairman of Jack Cooper, one of the largest car carrier companies in North America, outlined some risks that come if the US government’s road weight limits maintain the status quo. “The truth is we will not be able move as many electric vehicles under the current weight limit. That could mean more trucks on the road, delays in orders, and increased costs,” Amico said.
Trailers in the United States today are restricted by federal highway safety standards to 80,000 pounds gross vehicle weight. And with the growing prevalence of EVs, the car hauling industry has pushed its lobbying efforts in an attempt to update the restrictions. The effort has some supporters, such as Illinois Republican lawmaker Rodney Davis, who serves on the House Transportation Committee. Davis noted that the auto transporter industry is looking to raise the weight limit on roads by about 5-10%.
“The auto transporter industry needs a modest 5% to 10% weight variance. Otherwise, an already-challenged supply chain will require more tractor-trailer rigs on the nation’s highways to deliver the same number of finished vehicles. That means more miles driven, more wear and tear on our roads, more fuel used, and more emissions,” he said.
While an extra 8,000 pounds may not sound like much, it could be the difference maker that could allow transporters to carry the same number of EVs as their ICE-powered counterparts. The Ford F-150 Lightning is about 1,600 pounds heavier than its gas-powered sibling, for example, and the Volvo XC40 Recharge SUV weighs about 1,000 pounds more than the combustion-powered Volvo XC40.
The efforts of car carrier companies, however, have met strong opposition from critics. Among these critics are the companies’ rivals in the freight rail industry, as well as safety experts who argue that heavier trucks are more difficult to stop, easier to roll, and cause more wear and tear on roads. Cathy Chase, President of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, mentioned some of these reservations. “With any incremental change comes incremental danger, and that results in more fatalities,” Chase said.
But while the concerns of skeptics are reasonable, the use of all-electric trucks like the Tesla Semi should address a number of safety concerns about heavier vehicles on the road. Electric trucks, after all, utilize systems such as regenerative braking to help the vehicles stop safely. The rollout of systems like Autopilot and FSD could also be a difference-maker in the safety of trucks, as they could ensure that pedestrians and other commuters are as safe as possible on the road.
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Tesla is not sparing any expense in ensuring the Cybercab is safe
Images shared by the longtime watcher showed 16 Cybercab prototypes parked near Giga Texas’ dedicated crash test facility.
The Tesla Cybercab could very well be the safest taxi on the road when it is released and deployed for public use. This was, at least, hinted at by the intensive safety tests that Tesla seems to be putting the autonomous two-seater through at its Giga Texas crash test facility.
Intensive crash tests
As per recent images from longtime Giga Texas watcher and drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer, Tesla seems to be very busy crash testing Cybercab units. Images shared by the longtime watcher showed 16 Cybercab prototypes parked near Giga Texas’ dedicated crash test facility just before the holidays.
Tegtmeyer’s aerial photos showed the prototypes clustered outside the factory’s testing building. Some uncovered Cybercabs showed notable damage and one even had its airbags engaged. With Cybercab production expected to start in about 130 days, it appears that Tesla is very busy ensuring that its autonomous two-seater ends up becoming the safest taxi on public roads.
Prioritizing safety
With no human driver controls, the Cybercab demands exceptional active and passive safety systems to protect occupants in any scenario. Considering Tesla’s reputation, it is then understandable that the company seems to be sparing no expense in ensuring that the Cybercab is as safe as possible.
Tesla’s focus on safety was recently highlighted when the Cybertruck achieved a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This was a notable victory for the Cybertruck as critics have long claimed that the vehicle will be one of, if not the, most unsafe truck on the road due to its appearance. The vehicle’s Top Safety Pick+ rating, if any, simply proved that Tesla never neglects to make its cars as safe as possible, and that definitely includes the Cybercab.
Elon Musk
Tesla’s Elon Musk gives timeframe for FSD’s release in UAE
Provided that Musk’s timeframe proves accurate, FSD would be able to start saturating the Middle East, starting with the UAE, next year.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated on Monday that Full Self-Driving (Supervised) could launch in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as soon as January 2026.
Provided that Musk’s timeframe proves accurate, FSD would be able to start saturating the Middle East, starting with the UAE, next year.
Musk’s estimate
In a post on X, UAE-based political analyst Ahmed Sharif Al Amiri asked Musk when FSD would arrive in the country, quoting an earlier post where the CEO encouraged users to try out FSD for themselves. Musk responded directly to the analyst’s inquiry.
“Hopefully, next month,” Musk wrote. The exchange attracted a lot of attention, with numerous X users sharing their excitement at the idea of FSD being brought to a new country. FSD (Supervised), after all, would likely allow hands-off highway driving, urban navigation, and parking under driver oversight in traffic-heavy cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Musk’s comments about FSD’s arrival in the UAE were posted following his visit to the Middle Eastern country. Over the weekend, images were shared online of Musk meeting with UAE Defense Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and Dubai Crown Prince HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed. Musk also posted a supportive message about the country, posting “UAE rocks!” on X.
FSD recognition
FSD has been getting quite a lot of support from foreign media outlets. FSD (Supervised) earned high marks from Germany’s largest car magazine, Auto Bild, during a test in Berlin’s challenging urban environment. The demonstration highlighted the system’s ability to handle dense traffic, construction sites, pedestrian crossings, and narrow streets with smooth, confident decision-making.
Journalist Robin Hornig was particularly struck by FSD’s superior perception and tireless attention, stating: “Tesla FSD Supervised sees more than I do. It doesn’t get distracted and never gets tired. I like to think I’m a good driver, but I can’t match this system’s all-around vision. It’s at its best when both work together: my experience and the Tesla’s constant attention.” Only one intervention was needed when the system misread a route, showcasing its maturity while relying on vision-only sensors and over-the-air learning.
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Tesla quietly flexes FSD’s reliability amid Waymo blackout in San Francisco
“Tesla Robotaxis were unaffected by the SF power outage,” Musk wrote in his post.
Tesla highlighted its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system’s robustness this week by sharing dashcam footage of a vehicle in FSD navigating pitch-black San Francisco streets during the city’s widespread power outage.
While Waymo’s robotaxis stalled and caused traffic jams, Tesla’s vision-only approach kept operating seamlessly without remote intervention. Elon Musk amplified the clip, highlighting the contrast between the two systems.
Tesla FSD handles total darkness
The @Tesla_AI account posted a video from a Model Y operating on FSD during San Francisco’s blackout. As could be seen in the video, streetlights, traffic signals, and surrounding illumination were completely out, but the vehicle drove confidently and cautiously, just like a proficient human driver.
Musk reposted the clip, adding context to reports of Waymo vehicles struggling in the same conditions. “Tesla Robotaxis were unaffected by the SF power outage,” Musk wrote in his post.
Musk and the Tesla AI team’s posts highlight the idea that FSD operates a lot like any experienced human driver. Since the system does not rely on a variety of sensors and a complicated symphony of factors, vehicles could technically navigate challenging circumstances as they emerge. This definitely seemed to be the case in San Francisco.
Waymo’s blackout struggles
Waymo faced scrutiny after multiple self-driving Jaguar I-PACE taxis stopped functioning during the blackout, blocking lanes, causing traffic jams, and requiring manual retrieval. Videos shared during the power outage showed fleets of Waymo vehicles just stopping in the middle of the road, seemingly confused about what to do when the lights go out.
In a comment, Waymo stated that its vehicles treat nonfunctional signals as four-way stops, but “the sheer scale of the outage led to instances where vehicles remained stationary longer than usual to confirm the state of the affected intersections. This contributed to traffic friction during the height of the congestion.”
A company spokesperson also shared some thoughts about the incidents. “Yesterday’s power outage was a widespread event that caused gridlock across San Francisco, with non-functioning traffic signals and transit disruptions. While the failure of the utility infrastructure was significant, we are committed to ensuring our technology adjusts to traffic flow during such events,” the Waymo spokesperson stated, adding that it is “focused on rapidly integrating the lessons learned from this event, and are committed to earning and maintaining the trust of the communities we serve every day.”
Tesla is not sparing any expense in ensuring the Cybercab is safe
Tesla’s Elon Musk gives timeframe for FSD’s release in UAE
