In its latest report on automatic emergency braking (AEB) standards for automakers, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) have announced that Tesla is one of only four manufacturers so far that has reached the goal of supplying AEB on more than half of its produced vehicles in model year 2017. This first manufacturer’s report on the voluntary crash avoidance standard lists four manufacturers offering AEB on more than half and another seven with the tech on more than thirty percent of their 2017 model year vehicles.
The initiative was first announced in 2015 with a total of ten automakers on board, including Tesla. Other automakers at that time included Audi, BMW, Ford, General Motors, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo. A year later, an additional ten manufacturers joined. The initiative’s goal is to get manufacturer’s voluntarily on board to make forward collision warning (FCW) systems and automatic emergency braking standard equipment on all vehicles manufactured by September 1, 2022, about the time that model year 2023 vehicles would be entering production. The initiative further pushes for all trucks in the medium-duty sector (8,501 to 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight) to meet the same standard by 2025.
Recently, manufacturers submitted their first yearly progress reports to the IIHS-NHTSA consortium for vehicles manufactured between September 1, 2016 and August 31, 2017 for the U.S. market. Tesla had the largest proportion of its vehicles including the technology for 2017, with all but only a handful of manufactured vehicles having AEB and FCW. This despite many having AEB deactivated for a portion of the year due to glitches with its sensitivity levels. The feature was reactivated in late April and early May as a software update.
For reference, the IIHS-NHTSA report states that Consumer Reports, which assists in monitoring progress towards compliance with the initiative, found that only 19 percent of 2017 model year vehicles include AEB and FCW as standard equipment. Most of those vehicles, like the Model S and Model X being reported by Tesla, are classified as luxury vehicles by price point.
The IIHS and NHTSA estimate that if the commitment by manufacturers to meet the initiative’s standards are met by 2025, a total of 28,000 crashes and 12,000 injuries will be prevented. Total commitment so far from manufacturers in the U.S. market account for over 99 percent of the vehicles sold in the country.
Tesla Model X response test for Autopilot vehicle detection [Credit: Bjørn Nyland]
Systems conforming with the vehicle standard must come with FCW that meets 2 of the 3 NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings’ requirements and AEB that earns at least an “Advanced” rating from the IIHS. The four complying automakers who’ve met the standard in more than fifty percent of manufactured 2017 models include Audi (73%), Mercedes-Benz (96%), and Volvo (68%) alongside Tesla (99.8%).
Other manufacturers have lower numbers, but a fast-growing commitment to the standard. Toyota at 56 percent accounts for the largest total volume of vehicles equipped to meet the initiative’s requirements with General Motors, at 20 percent, following closely behind. Lowest on the list of compliance were Fiat Chrysler, Ford, Hyundai, Kia, and Mitsubishi. Of luxury makes, only Jaguar Land Rover and Porsche don’t offer the technologies at all in 2017 model year vehicles counted.
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News
SpaceX just launched a secret payload from California
SpaceX launched a classified Space Force mission from Vandenberg, revealing almost nothing about its payload.
SpaceX launched a classified Falcon 9 mission for the U.S. Space Force from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Saturday night, and the government released almost nothing about what was on board. The mission, designated USSF-366, lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E with a window that opened at 9:52 p.m. ET and ran into the early hours of Sunday, according to SpaceX’s own mission page, which described the payload only as classified. SpaceX confirmed the launch on its X account and pointed viewers to a livestream that began roughly ten minutes before liftoff.
Watch Falcon 9 launch the USSF-366 mission from pad 4E in California https://t.co/FFEzeYOds1
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 16, 2026
The lack of detail did not stop analysts from filling in the blanks. Independent tracking of the rocket’s stage drop zones matched the pattern SpaceX has used on previous Starlink Group 15 missions, according to reporting from Outer Space Today, which pointed to Starshield as the likely payload rather than a one off government satellite. Starshield is SpaceX’s national security product, a version of the Starlink satellite bus built to Pentagon specifications for earth observation, communications and hosted payloads. Unlike consumer Starlink, government agencies do not have to disclose what Starshield satellites are actually doing once they reach orbit.
USSF-366 is the latest entry in a steady flow of classified and semi classified work between SpaceX and the Space Force. The company picked up a $178.5 million task order in April to launch missile tracking satellites for the Space Development Agency, as Teslarati reported at the time, and followed that in July with a $1.6 billion award covering 18 more Falcon 9 missions from Vandenberg through the end of 2027, also detailed by Teslarati. Add those contracts up and SpaceX’s Pentagon business for 2026 alone tops $8 billion.
SpaceX scores another massive Pentagon deal to support military satellites
The Falcon 9 that flew Saturday landed back near the launch site, producing the sonic booms that have become routine for residents near Vandenberg. What is less routine is how little the public will likely ever learn about what the rocket carried. SpaceX and the Space Force have not confirmed the Starshield connection, and government satellite programs built on commercial buses rarely get identified beyond a mission number and a general orbit. For a company that live streams almost everything else it does, from Starship test flights to Optimus robot demos, USSF-366 is a reminder that some of SpaceX’s busiest work now happens entirely out of public view.
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On Friday, Tesla launched the Outlet Adapter that enabled Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) energy transfer, meaning owners could essentially utilize their cars as a power source for things like laptops, electric grills, or string lights.
However, even owners of some of the newest builds of the Model Y are finding out that their cars are not compatible with the new $80 accessory, stirring up a new complaint among members of the community.
Tesla launches V2L Outlet Adapter for Premium Model Y in the U.S.
Upon the release of the Outlet Adapter on Friday, I signed into my Tesla account to order the accessory. However, I was met with the dreaded “This product is not compatible with your 2026 Model Y” message at the bottom of the screen.
Some said their accounts also displayed the same message, but they ordered anyway. However, they might be surprised to find that this is no mistake; some of the newest Model Ys do not have the appropriate Power Conversion System (PCS). Mine, which was ordered on this day last year and delivered on August 31, has the old 48A, single-phase PCS.
Vehicles with the new, two-piece PCS are able to utilize V2L features on their cars:
🚨 Looks like you can hit the Parts Catalog and enter your VIN and check to see if your Model Y will be able to use the adapter for V2L.https://t.co/QA9zRk7n2k
h/t to @SawyerMerritt for finding this out.
-I am sad but this isn’t a huge loss. https://t.co/AYpI12QVV9 pic.twitter.com/LRFSrtRywo
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) August 16, 2026
Obviously, it’s disappointing. Many owners have taken delivery this year and still can not utilize the Outlet Adapter because their cars feature the old PCS:
Took delivery in February of 2026. I have the older one, so not going to work for me pic.twitter.com/RcOVq8gvvT
— Russell (@QuietTesla) August 16, 2026
It looks like if you have one of these older PCS units, you can upgrade, but the parts alone are $1,750, and that’s before Tesla adds labor for installing. It is honestly more logical to get some kind of portable power supply or power station at that point.
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It is great that Tesla has enabled V2L for Model Y vehicles, but it is also unfortunate that vehicles that are less than one year old are not able to take advantage of this awesome new feature.
With that being said, it truly is a first-world problem; can you really complain when Full Self-Driving is available, maintenance is incredibly inexpensive, and the car has been so good through a year of ownership?
Tesla has launched a new Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) Outlet Adapter for Premium Model Y vehicles in the United States, meaning you can now power devices like laptops or light strings with your vehicle’s battery.
It appears the capability will be available for any Model Y Premium trim, including those that were purchased prior to the Adapter being launched. It will also only impact Juniper Model Y vehicles, so the first-gen owners will unfortunately not have access to this capability.
If your Model Y was purchased before Tesla renamed the trim levels to “Premium” and “Standard,” it does not seem to be compatible. My Model Y is technically a Premium build, as it is the Long Range All-Wheel-Drive. However, Tesla says it is not compatible with my vehicle.
🚨 Tesla has launched the Outlet Adapter for Model Y Premium in the U.S., enabling V2L capability for all Premium trims (that’s what it appears to be as it is available for purchase with all Premium trims)
It’s available for $80. 2.4kW max power and rated for 120v, 20A pic.twitter.com/lDxlVIk5s8
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) August 14, 2026
For $80, you can now utilize your car as a portable charger for small appliances or devices. This is perfect for things like tailgates, concerts, or camping, as you can now plug in devices that you might use. Those string lights for camping? That laptop for the other games that are on at the tailgate?
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They’ll both utilize energy from your Tesla’s battery to be powered. This is the first time Tesla has expanded the capability to vehicles outside of the Model Y Performance and Cybertruck. However, this feature has been highly requested by owners for an extended period of time.
Tesla launched the Outlet Adapter in China last year:
Tesla China rolls out Model Y L V2L adapter, and it’s free for early owners
You will need the Mobile Connector to operate the Outlet Adapter: the Outlet Adapter will plug into the main housing of the Mobile Connector, where the appropriate adapter to charge your vehicle will plug in.
It is rated for 120 volts and 20 amps, and has a max power rating of 2.4kW.
You can buy it here from Tesla for $80.
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SpaceX just launched a secret payload from California
Tesla V2L adapter for Model Y stirs up a new complaint among owners
