News
Despite Tesla’s growth, the EV revolution still caught the auto industry off guard
The signs of an EV revolution were all there, but it seems like consumer demand for all-electric vehicles was still able to catch veteran automakers off guard. With Tesla currently commanding about 70% of the United States’ electric vehicle sales in the first half of the year, the race to catch up to the trailblazer is on — but it’s a lot easier said than done.
It’s a pretty insane thought today, but when Tesla announced its plans to build a dedicated battery factory to support the Model 3’s ramp, many were skeptical. Back then, many still questioned if there really was a demand for electric cars. This is not the case anymore today. If auto executives were not sure if there would be buyers for EVs before, now they’re worrying if they can build them fast enough.
Electric cars only account for about 6% of the United States’ overall vehicle sales, but this percentage has tripled in the past two years. Meanwhile, sales of other types of cars have declined, as per insights from research firm Motor Intelligence. This was represented by the fact that five of the six fastest-selling cars in the US were electric or plug-in hybrids. Tesla’s Model Y, a crossover, is on track to become one of the world’s best-selling cars.
All-In on EVs
Veteran automakers have expressed their intention to go all-in on EVs, and some, such as GM CEO Mary Barra, have even stated in the past that she believes General Motors can pass Tesla in the future. The same is true for executives from Ford and Volkswagen. But inasmuch as it’s easy to announce such an ambitious target, accomplishing it is a completely different matter.
GM, for example, started its recent EV push with the GMC Hummer EV and the Cadillac Lyric. GM received a lot of support from the Biden administration for its electric vehicle efforts, so much so that Biden dubbed Barra as a leader who electrified the auto industry. Yet, according to The Wall Street Journal, people familiar with the matter have noted that the production of the Hummer EV and Lyriq is still at rates of less than a dozen a day. This was despite the waiting lists of both vehicles stretching into the tens of thousands.
And it’s not just GM. Ford is somewhat in the same boat. The Ford F-150 Lightning is an acclaimed vehicle, and its order books are extremely long. The demand for the vehicle was so notable that Ford had to double its production target twice. In 2020, the company expected its lightning factory to produce 40,000 of the pickups per year, a target that was doubled last year. This past January, as the order books for the Lightning continued to grow, Ford doubled its target again to 150,000 trucks by summer 2023.
Ford’s head of EV programs Darren Palmer provided an idea of the speed at which Ford had to adjust its Lightning targets. “The cement had barely joined to some of the walls, and we were already expanding,” he said.
A Rush for Supplies
A lot of the challenges faced by veteran automakers were due to a lack of parts from the supply chain, as well as a struggle to secure as many batteries as possible. EVs use more computer chips than combustion-powered cars, which made things very challenging during the chip crisis faced by the entire industry. Electric cars also rely on batteries, so carmakers are now in a battery arms race of sorts in an effort to ensure that their EVs can be ramped.
Ultimately, the Journal noted that automakers are in their current situation because many have lowballed their early EV production estimates. Thus, when electric vehicles took off during the pandemic, many executives in the auto industry were caught off guard. Couple this with the fact that newcomers like Rivian and Lucid are also entering the fray, and the auto industry is looking more and more like it’s in the cusp of some real changes.
In a way, it’s simple. If veteran automakers would like to catch up to Tesla, they have to make electric cars that people want to buy. The success of non-Tesla EVs such as the F-150 Lightning, Mustang Mach-E, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 show that the EV market has enough space for multiple carmakers. But with demand for EVs increasing now, some automakers may end up watching EV only competitors like Tesla increase their lead in the coming years.
The question of whether there is demand for EVs has long been settled. In a statement to the WSJ, Earl Stewart, a Florida-based Toyota dealer, noted that there’s actually a lot of interest in the bZ4X. However, the vehicle’s availability is just not there. Stewart noted that mass adoption of electric vehicles would need affordable electric cars. That being said, he has already taken the leap to EVs — he currently drives a Tesla Model S Plaid.
“Until they bring the prices down, it will just be people like me who can afford to buy EVs and who want to be the first on the block to drive one,” Stewart said.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
Cybertruck
Tesla Cybertruck gets long-awaited safety feature
Tesla has announced the rollout of its innovative anti-dooring protection feature to the Cybertruck via the 2026.8 software update.
Tesla is rolling out a new and long-awaited feature to the Cybertruck all-electric pickup, and it is a safety addition geared toward pedestrian and cyclist safety, as well as accidents with other vehicles.
Tesla has announced the rollout of its innovative anti-dooring protection feature to the Cybertruck via the 2026.8 software update.
This safety enhancement uses the vehicle’s existing cameras to detect approaching cyclists, pedestrians, or vehicles in the blind spot while parked. Upon attempting to open a door, if a hazard is detected, the system activates: the blind spot indicator light flashes, an audible chime sounds, and the door will not open on the initial button press.
Drivers must wait briefly and press the button again to override, providing crucial seconds to avoid an accident.
Anti-dooring protection now rolling out to @Cybertruck
This feature comes standard on every new Model 3, Model Y & Cybertruck – using cameras to delay door opening if a cyclist, pedestrian or other vehicle is detected approaching in your blind spot
— Tesla North America (@tesla_na) March 17, 2026
The feature, also known as Blind Spot Warning While Parked, comes standard on every new Model 3 and Model Y, and is now extending to the Cybertruck. Leveraging Tesla’s vision-based system without requiring new hardware, it represents a cost-effective software solution that builds on community suggestions dating back to 2018.
This technology addresses the persistent danger of “dooring,” where a driver opens a car door into the path of a passing cyclist or pedestrian.
Tesla implemented this little-known feature to make its cars even safer
Dooring incidents are alarmingly common in urban environments.
According to Chicago data, in 2011 alone, there were 344 reported dooring crashes, accounting for approximately 20 percent of all bicycle crashes in the city, nearly one incident per day.
While numbers have fluctuated (dropping to 11 percent in 2014 before rising again), dooring consistently represents 10-20 percent of bike-related crashes in major cities.
A national analysis of emergency department data estimates over 17,000 dooring-related injuries treated in the U.S. over a decade, with many involving fractures, contusions, and head trauma, particularly affecting upper extremities.
By automatically intervening, Tesla’s system not only protects vulnerable road users but also safeguards its owners from potential liability and enhances overall road safety.
As cities promote cycling for sustainable transport, features like this demonstrate how advanced driver assistance and camera systems can evolve beyond highway driving to everyday urban scenarios.
Enthusiastic responses on social media highlight appreciation for the proactive safety measure, with some calling for broader rollout to older models where hardware permits. Tesla continues to push the boundaries of vehicle safety through over-the-air updates, making its fleet smarter and safer over time.
Elon Musk
Tesla Roadster is ‘sorcery and magic’ and might be worth the wait, Uber founder says
Perhaps the wait will be worth it, especially according to Uber founder Travis Kalanick, who recently teased the Roadster’s potential capabilities based on what he has heard from internal Tesla sources.
Tesla is planning to unveil the Roadster in late April after years of waiting. But the wait might be worth it, according to Travis Kalanick, the founder of Uber, who recently shed some light on his expectations for the all-electric supercar.
We all know the Roadster is supposed to have some serious capability. CEO Elon Musk has said on numerous occasions that the Roadster will be unlike anything else ever produced. It might go from 0-60 MPH in about a second, it might hover, it might have SpaceX cold gas thrusters.
However, the constant delays in the Roadster program and its unveiling event continue to send Tesla fans into confusion because they’re just not sure when, or if, they’ll ever see the finished product.
Perhaps the wait will be worth it, especially according to Uber founder Travis Kalanick, who recently teased the Roadster’s potential capabilities based on what he has heard from internal Tesla sources.
Kalanick said on X:
When I’ve run into people who are in the know, I inquire, they tell me nothing, but their eyebrows raise and their eyes widen in a way that can only mean something of sorcery and magic is coming…
— travis kalanick (@travisk) March 17, 2026
Musk has said this vehicle is not going to be geared for safety, and that, “If safety is your number one goal, do not buy the Roadster.”
There has been so much hype regarding the Roadster that it is hard to believe the company could not come through on some kind of crazy features for the vehicle.
However, the latest delay that Tesla put on the unveiling event is definitely eye-opening, especially considering it is the latest in a series of pushbacks the company has put on the vehicle for the past several years.
Tesla has made several jumps in the Roadster project over the past few months, as it has ramped up hiring for the vehicle and also applied for a patent for a new seat design.
The car has been a back-burner project for Tesla, as it has been focusing primarily on autonomy and the rollout of Robotaxi and Cybercab. Additionally, its other vehicle projects, like the Model 3 and Model Y refreshes, took precedence.
Tesla still plans to unveil the Roadster next month, so we can hope the company can stick to this timeframe.
Cybertruck
Elon Musk clarifies viral Tesla Cybertruck accident with driver logs
Musk has come out to say that the driver logs have already shown that the driver “disengaged Autopilot four seconds before crashing,” in a post on X.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has clarified some details regarding the viral Tesla Cybertruck accident with company driver logs, which show various metrics at the time of an incident.
The logs have been used in the past to pull responsibility off of Tesla when the automaker’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) or Autopilot platforms are blamed for a collision or accident. It appears this will be no different.
On Tuesday, a video of a Cybertruck crashing into an overpass barrier in August 2025 was shared by Fox Business in a story that reported a woman was suing the automaker for $1 million in a liability and negligence case.
In the suit, Justine Saint Amour said that, “Something terrifying happened, without warning, the vehicle attempted to drive straight off an overpass.” Her attorney, Bob Hilliard, said Amour “tried to take control, but crashed into the barrier and was seriously injured (mostly her shoulder, neck, and back).”
The Tesla Model Y is leading China’s electric SUV segment by a wide margin
Tesla vehicle crashes are widely popular to report by mainstream media outlets because of the sensationalism of the event. Oftentimes, these outlets will include Tesla in the headline, especially because it will pique the interest of the masses, as most who read the story are waiting to see the claim that Autopilot or Full Self-Driving was the culprit of the accident.
However, Tesla has access to the logs of every vehicle in its fleet, which will show the various metrics, like whether either FSD or Autopilot was active, if the accelerator was pressed, the speed, and other important factors.
Musk has come out to say that the driver logs have already shown that the driver “disengaged Autopilot four seconds before crashing,” in a post on X.
Logs show driver disengaged Autopilot four seconds before crashing
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 18, 2026
If the logs do show this, which Tesla will likely have to prove in court, the real question would be why did the Amour disengage the suite?
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving suite is still not fully autonomous, meaning the driver cannot pull attention away from the road and must be ready to take over the vehicle at all times.
It will be interesting to see how this particular case pans out, especially considering the clip that was released by the law firm starts at about four seconds before the collision. Tesla logs have dispelled media reports in the past that have accused the company’s suite of being responsible for an accident, so there will be some major attention on what is proven in this particular case.
Tesla Cybertruck gets long-awaited safety feature
Tesla Roadster is ‘sorcery and magic’ and might be worth the wait, Uber founder says
