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Tesla Model 3 gets attacked by road-raging BMW driver after parking lot encounter

(Credit: ABC 10 News/YouTube)

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A Tesla owner had no idea that his Model 3 will be the victim of a road rage incident after he encountered a BMW in a parking lot at Carmel Mountain Ranch in San Diego, CA. The incident, which transpired after the Model 3 owner briefly called out the BMW driver, resulted in what could very well be some costly repairs for the electric sedan. 

Cory Janney and his wife were doing a simple run to a Best Buy outlet at The Courtyard shopping center last Saturday when they passed a gray BMW, which pulled through a stop sign just as the Tesla Model 3 was pulling in. Janney pressed on his vehicle’s horn briefly in response. Thinking nothing of the incident, the couple then parked their electric car and went inside the store. 

They were only inside for around six minutes, but by the time they returned to their Model 3, they were greeted by paint shavings on their vehicle and a long, deep gash across the electric car’s front passenger side door. Speaking to ABC10 News, Janney noted that he and his wife did not expect their vehicle to get attacked from such a brief, seemingly normal parking lot encounter. “We were both pretty shocked,” he said

Reviewing the dashcam footage from their Model 3, Janney and his wife saw what appeared to be the very same BMW that they encountered park beside their Tesla. The BMW driver then exited his vehicle and looked around, seemingly surveying the area and checking if he parked beside the right electric car. When he went back into the line of sight of the Model 3’s dashcam, the BMW driver had something small and sharp in his hands. He then proceeded to walk towards the Model 3’s passenger side. “He had a stiff arm and proceeded to scratch the passenger side of the door, before getting back into the vehicle,” Janney said.

The damage to the Model 3’s paint was quite significant, as the scratch was deep enough to go past the vehicle’s clear coat and paint. The Model 3 owner has not received an estimate for his vehicle’s repair yet, though a consultant informed ABC10 that the scratch could cost the Tesla owner several thousand dollars. Fortunately, a police report has been filed against the BMW driver, whose face was clearly visible in the Model 3’s dashcam footage. And since incidents such as these are considered a felony in the area, the BMW driver might soon regret attacking the Model 3. 

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Janney, for his part, hopes that the road-raging BMW driver could be located by the authorities soon. “It’s disturbing (that) something so small could lead to so much rage. If he gets this frustrated, who knows if he’s going to escalate it to something bigger,” he said. 

Teslas are becoming a lot more common today with the advent of vehicles like the Model 3. Despite this, the company remains polarizing for several groups of people, some of whom seemed to have developed a strong dislike for Teslas and their infrastructure. This has been displayed in ICE-ing incidents, which involve gas-powered cars intentionally blocking EV charging stations, and even an instance involving a vandal who attempted to sever the wires of a Tesla Supercharger. In response to these, Tesla has rolled out several safety updates for its vehicles, such as improvements to its fleet’s built-in dashcam features and Sentry Mode, an upgraded alarm suite designed to discourage thieves from breaking into an electric car.

Watch ABC10‘s feature on a Tesla Model 3’s unfortunate encounter with a road-raging BMW driver in the video below. 

Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla brings perhaps the coolest interior feature to cars in latest update

Tesla adds on to the “fun” aspect of its vehicles.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has brought perhaps the coolest interior feature to its cars in a new update that is rolling out to vehicles now.

The feature will require a newer vehicle that has interior ambient lighting, which is present on the new Model S, Model X, Model 3 “Highland,” and Model Y “Juniper.” The Cybertruck also has ambient lighting strips throughout.

Tesla Model Y’s ambient lighting design changes revealed in leaked video

With the Version 2025.26+ Software Update, Tesla is rolling out a new “Sync Accent Lights w/ Music” feature, which is available on the Tesla Toybox:

To enable the feature, you’ll access the Toybox, choose “Light Sync,” and then choose “Sync Accent Lights w/ Music.”

Although it does not improve the performance of the vehicle, it is yet another example of Tesla making one of the coolest cars out there. This is truly a cool add-on that can be used to impress your friends and family.

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xAI, Musk Foundation helps schools near Memphis supercomputer site

Reports of xAI and the Musk Foundation’s work were recently posted by local news media.

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(Credit: xAI)

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI and the Musk Foundation have been supporting Memphis-Shelby County Schools with HVAC repairs and facility upgrades, while also funding youth programs for students in the area. 

Reports of xAI and the Musk Foundation’s work were recently posted by local news media.

xAI’s school visits lead to facility repairs

Representatives from xAI visited John P. Freeman Optional School, Fairley High School, and Westwood High School, all of which are located near its Colossus supercomputer site, to assess HVAC systems, plumbing, gym facilities, and athletic fields. The visits resulted in a list of priority repairs, some of which were completed in April and May.

In addition to the repairs, xAI also shared a number of initiatives that are planned for students in the area, as stated in a Commercial Appeal report.

“xAI is working on providing STEM workshops for local students, donating equipment to technical training programs, and supporting job fairs to boost employment opportunities. These initiatives reflect xAl’s commitment to fostering education and economic growth in Memphis,” xAI noted in a statement.

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Musk Foundation donation

Apart from xAI, the Musk Foundation also donated $350,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis, enabling the reopening of two club sites located at Booker T. Washington High School and Westwood High School. Both locations had closed earlier this year due to lapses in funding. As per xAI, the Musk Foundation’s donation allows clubs to reopen for almost 1,000 students. 

The donation will fund staffing, supplies, and transportation, among others. “Kids are the future of humanity,” Elon Musk said in a statement, adding that students need “every chance to shoot for the stars.”

“We’re honored to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis in reopening these sites, giving kids in underserved communities the tools to build brighter futures,” Musk said.

The gift was praised by local officials, including Boys & Girls Clubs board chair Michael Garriga, who stated that the “commitment will ensure the youth of our community have the opportunities they need to develop their skills and talents to become successful students and future citizens.”

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EV fans urge Tesla to acquire Unplugged Performance for edge in fleet and security industry

Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles.

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Credit: Unplugged Performance

A growing number of Tesla enthusiasts and longtime community voices are calling on the electric vehicle maker to acquire Unplugged Performance, a California-based aftermarket company best known for tuning Tesla vehicles and developing specialized government fleet solutions under its UP.FIT division.

The idea was once considered a niche proposal among EV fans, but it is now gaining serious attention not just as a performance play but as a strategic move to deepen Tesla’s roots in the fleet and security industry. 

A strategic fit

Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles, from track-optimized components to visual and aerodynamic upgrades. But in recent years, its UP.FIT division has pivoted toward a more functional future by outfitting Tesla vehicles like Model Ys for police, military, and government use.

That work has sparked growing calls for closer collaboration with Tesla, especially as the EV maker increasingly leans into autonomy, AI, and fleet services as core components of its next chapter.

“I posted this four years ago, but I think it’s more true now than ever,” wrote Whole Mars Catalog, a well-known Tesla investor and FSD Beta tester, on X. “Tesla should buy Unplugged. But not just as a Performance division. What they are doing with UP.FIT unlocks large government and commercial fleet purchases that can improve utilization.”

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Tesla fans such as shareholder Sawyer Merritt echoed the sentiment, calling Unplugged a “great fit within Tesla.” adding, “They are literally located directly next to Tesla’s design studio in Hawthorne.”

Enabling the next wave

Supporters of the idea noted that integrating Unplugged into Tesla’s corporate structure could help accelerate the adoption of autonomous technologies in government sectors. With UP.FIT patrol cars already in use across some U.S. police departments, Tesla fans envisioned a future where self-driving Teslas could potentially revolutionize law enforcement, search-and-rescue, and public service logistics.

“Just imagine how autonomous patrol cars could transform policing and bring us into a safer future,” the veteran FSD tester wrote.

The benefits could also extend to Tesla’s existing consumer base. “They also have some incredible products in the works that I think will appeal to many ordinary Tesla drivers — not just those looking for performance or mods. Stuff that’s so good it should have come straight from the design studio next door,” Whole Mars Catalog noted.

Unplugged Performance, founded in 2013, shares not just a product vision with Tesla, but also geography. Its Hawthorne headquarters sits directly adjacent to Tesla’s design studio, and the two companies have maintained a close working relationship over the years. The aftermarket firm has long positioned itself as a “mission-aligned” partner to Tesla.

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In response to the recent calls for acquisition, Unplugged Performance acknowledged the support from the community. “Our very existence is to support the Tesla mission with @UpfitTesla and @UnpluggedTesla,” Unplugged CEO Ben Schaffer posted on X. “We love working with Tesla and are grateful for the community’s support since 2013!”

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