News
Tesla Giga Berlin event details expansion plans ahead of community vote
Tesla held an informational event at its Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg on Sunday, detailing its expansion plans ahead of a community vote on the proposed project.
The event was put on by Tesla in the plant in the lobby of the plant, located in Grünheide, Germany, and the automaker included graphics and additional details on its expansion proposal for a rail yard and logistics project, as shared on X by Tobias Lindh on Sunday. The event was open to the local community, and it comes ahead of a month-long period beginning next week, in which citizens will be able to vote on the project.
The post included the images Tesla had on display for the event, featuring the automaker’s plans for an in-house freight station with a siding shift to the railway, as well as additional storage to keep a larger bank of materials on site, and other social and employee facilities including training rooms, a competence center for trainees, and a childcare area.
Lindh clarified that this event was held not for the site’s Phase 2 construction plans, but that this event was regarding expansion to the east of the factory, specifically. This part of the expansion, as Tesla explains in one sign, will not be adding any production facilities and, thus, will not increase water consumption—a primary concern for many in the region.
Today @Tesla is hosting an information event for the citizens of #Grünheide in the Lobby at #GigaBerlin about the expansion.
The citizens will be able to vote for the new development plan for one month, starting next week.
The plan is important for the rail yard and logistics. pic.twitter.com/inMXUQFBHk
— Tobias Lindh (@tobilindh) January 14, 2024
According to one sign at the event, Tesla is holding citizens’ consultation hours every Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Giga Berlin lobby, and voting will take place over a month-long period, beginning next week.
In response to another user in the thread asking what the general sentiment was like at the event, Lindh said he thought the information and the event itself were beneficial, despite some vocal opposition to Tesla.
“As far as I can tell, most people are positive about Tesla,” Lindh wrote on X. “There is just a small loud group against Tesla. But it’s important that they are all voting, and not just the loud small group. I think that the information event today also has a very positive impact.”
You can see several of Lindh’s photos from the many signs at the event below, as translated from German to English.

Credit: Tobias Lindh | X

Credit: Tesla (via Tobias Lindh | X)

Credit: Tesla (via Tobias Lindh | X)

Credit: Tobias Lindh | X

Credit: Tesla (via Tobias Lindh | X)

Credit: Tesla (via Tobias Lindh | X)

Credit: Tesla (via Tobias Lindh | X)

Credit: Tesla (via Tobias Lindh | X)

Credit: Tesla (via Tobias Lindh | X)

Credit: Tesla (via Tobias Lindh | X)
Tesla has been working toward expanding Giga Berlin for several months, waiting throughout much of last year to gain approval for the proposals. After being approved in July, the company’s plans were rejected by the Strausberg-Erkner Water Association (WSE) for its overall Phase 2 plans due to water scarcity, although Tesla has said it can perform the expansions without increasing water consumption.
In October, the Brandenburg State Office of the Environment called the objections to Tesla’s expansion plans a “farce,” while Minister of Agriculture Axel Vogel pointed out that Giga Berlin uses significantly less water than it’s even approved for—and far less than many other local companies.
Tesla highlights water recycling efforts at its Gigafactory Berlin
What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send your tips to us at tips@teslarati.com.
Elon Musk
Tesla Full Self-Driving is getting a major parking upgrade, Elon Musk says
Tesla Full Self-Driving is going to be getting a major parking upgrade. That’s according to CEO Elon Musk, who detailed a crafty new feature that will improve parking preferences, removing a layer of human input.
Musk said that upcoming releases of Full Self-Driving will “remember your parking preferences.” It will go to the location you prefer, based on where you’ve parked in the past, instead of taking the first spot available, which is where the suite is currently.
The CEO went on to explain that destination parking is “by far” the biggest reason for intervention during FSD operation. We’d have to believe this is true; many takeovers in my Model Y, which runs the latest version of FSD as it is in the Early Access Program, are due to parking because it chooses a spot I do not want to be in.
Many times, as soon as I enter a parking lot, I take over and park manually. I prefer to park away from the entrance of wherever I am, away from cars. Too many lessons learned over the years from people with free-swinging doors.
Upcoming releases of FSD will remember your parking preferences, so that the car goes to the right location at your home, office, school drop off, etc.
Destination parking is by far the biggest reason people now intervene with FSD. Critical safety interventions are extremely…
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 17, 2026
We’d imagine these new updates will also solve things like parking orientation. Let’s say when you arrive at work, you always park in the third spot in the third row, and you prefer to back in. It seems as if Musk is implying that your car will now do this, learning from takeovers and aiming to eliminate the need to manually park whenever possible.
This is a major upgrade because parking is a major shortcoming of FSD currently. We’ve requested things like manual input of parking preferences, choosing to park far away, first available, or away from cars, for example.
This is a big reason Parking Preferences with Supervised FSD will be so valuable.
If possible, parking a little further away and being distant from people like this is worth it. https://t.co/1YqQLgnfTz pic.twitter.com/3Ac71KQiQ3
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 7, 2026
However, some have used the option of dropping a pin at the location you’d like to park at your destination. This has worked some of the time, but FSD will still choose to park in whatever it sees first.
Musk did not give a timetable for when the improvements would be released, but it is likely to come soon. Tesla has been releasing a new FSD version every few weeks, so we may not have to wait long to test it.
News
Tesla Full Self-Driving and App Connectivity save life in medical emergency
In a remarkable demonstration of how advanced vehicle technology can intersect with family care and rapid response, a Tesla Model Y equipped with Full Self-Driving (FSD) Supervised helped save a driver’s life during a severe heart attack. The incident, which occurred on November 15, 2025, highlights the life-saving potential of Tesla’s connected ecosystem.
John Brandt, 55, was driving his new 2026 Model Y Launch Edition on Interstate 20 from Atlanta toward Birmingham early that morning. He had recently received the FSD v14.1.3 update. Around 3:50 a.m., he began experiencing severe chest pain. Barely conscious and unable to safely control the vehicle, John managed to call his son, Jack Brandt.
FSD Supervised remained engaged, keeping the car steadily on course while John reached out for help.
As an authorized driver on his father’s Tesla account, Jack quickly sprang into action from his own phone. He located Tanner Medical Center in Carrollton, Georgia—a facility equipped for cardiac emergencies—via Google Maps and shared the destination directly through the Tesla app.
A Model Y driver started experiencing a medical emergency with chest pain mid-drive & called his son.
His son then remotely rerouted the car – which had FSD Supervised enabled – to the nearest hospital & let them know the vehicle was en route. ER staff were standing by on… pic.twitter.com/yi1tHISK9y
— Tesla North America (@tesla_na) June 16, 2026
The Model Y responded immediately, rerouting: it took the next exit, turned around on I-20, navigated local roads, and pulled directly up to the emergency room entrance. Jack also alerted hospital staff that a heart attack patient was en route in a Tesla.
Doctors diagnosed John with a massive STEMI heart attack, requiring immediate intervention on three blocked arteries. They later confirmed that without the swift reroute, John likely would not have survived—whether he had pulled over to wait for an ambulance or attempted to continue driving. He received life-saving treatment and is now recovering fully.
Tesla shared the story on X, including an interview video featuring John and Jack reflecting on the event. John described the terrifying onset of symptoms, while Jack detailed the ease of remote intervention thanks to the app’s features. Only authorized users with vehicle access can change navigation destinations, adding a layer of security and family coordination.
This case underscores Tesla’s emphasis on connectivity and supervised autonomy. Features like remote navigation allow loved ones to assist in real-time emergencies, while FSD handles complex driving tasks reliably. Tesla notes that FSD Supervised requires active driver supervision and is not fully autonomous; this was a specific incident, not a general emergency protocol.
The story has resonated widely, with many praising Tesla’s technology for bridging gaps in critical moments. Jack previously shared details on social media in February 2026, and Tesla’s recent post has amplified its reach. As vehicles become smarter and more connected, such integrations could redefine personal safety on the road—turning cars into proactive partners in health crises.
For Tesla owners, the incident serves as a powerful reminder to add trusted family members as authorized drivers and explore FSD capabilities. While no technology replaces professional medical care, this blend of AI-assisted driving and seamless app control proved invaluable. John’s survival stands as a testament to innovation that prioritizes human life.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk predicts Grok will start to challenge Hollywood by the end of 2026
In a bold declaration on X, xAI CEO Elon Musk announced that its model will be capable of creating full movies by the end of the year. Quoting an xAI post showcasing a stunning AI-generated trailer for Homer’s The Odyssey, Musk simply stated: “Full movies by the end of the year.”
The quoted video, created entirely with the newly released Grok Imagine Video 1.5, demonstrates the rapid strides in AI video generation. Crafted by creator David Thompson, the 2-minute-plus trailer reimagines the ancient epic in the style of a 1970s classical Hollywood blockbuster. It features 36 meticulously consistent shots that form a cohesive narrative world.
Full movies by the end of this year https://t.co/kkBrngWA0X
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 17, 2026
Its realistic nature is truly mind-blowing, and it’s pretty amazing to think that it cool to think it could create an entire movie soon.
The trailer reimagines The Odyssey as a whole, and opens with a concept board outlining the vision: a retelling of the story using 35mm film aesthetics, classical framing, and other elements.
There are a handful of things that truly outline Grok’s capabilities:
- Scale and Physics: A bloodied Spartan helmet rests on a sandy battlefield amid smoke, marching armies, and flocks of birds. Horses gallop, chariots charge, and warriors clash with believable weight and motion.
- Emotional Depth and Dialogue: Close-ups capture intense expressions, as characters deliver lines like a warrior’s grief-stricken speech on a rocking ship.
- Cinematic Workflow: It’s hard to believe AI created this trailer, as editing and suspense are clearly detailed in this trailer
Now, why is this a big deal? AI has been a real threat to the way movies have been made over the past several decades. It’s no secret that the various AI platforms out there are becoming more capable, but Musk has said that he believes things would be “watchable” by the end of this year, and by the end of 2027, Grok would be able to create “really good” movies.
There are several issues that remain, most notably the ability to remain cohesive throughout the length of a film, energy requirements, copyright questions for training data, and artistic intent. Hollywood has created some of the greatest cinematic masterpieces over the past 100 years, but 2026 could be the year AI not only assists but also independently authors cinema.