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Tesla Model Y shunned in favor of Polestar 2 and Honda e in 2021 German Car of the Year awards
The Tesla Model Y may have made it as a nominee in the 2021 German Car of the Year awards’ “Luxury” and “New Energy” categories, but the all-electric crossover from California was ultimately pushed aside in favor of two fellow EVs, the Polestar 2 and the Honda e.
The winners of the 2021 German Car of the Year awards are selected by a panel of 18 motoring journalists, all of whom maintain a high standing in their respective fields. The overall Car of the Year award will be selected from the final five category winners.
As could be seen on the official website of the 2021 German Car of the Year awards, the Polestar 2 came away as the winner of the “Luxury” category, beating out vehicles like the Tesla Model Y, Ferrari Roma, Aston Martin DBX, and the Bentley Flying Spur. Thomas Ingenlath, CEO of Polestar, in a statement to The Driven, expressed his appreciation for the award.
“It has always been our aim to bring more than just an electric alternative to the market, to develop a car that inspires customers with its design, innovation, and performance. We are proud that the jury has recognized Polestar 2 in this way,” Ingenlath said.
In the “New Energy” category, the 2021 German Car of the Year panel selected the Honda e to be this year’s winner. The small EV from the Japanese carmaker beat out a number of heavyweights to earn its title, including the Tesla Model Y, the Polestar 2, the Audi e-tron Sportback, and the Volkswagen ID.3. Nozomu Yamashiro, president of Honda Germany, shared his enthusiasm with the award.
“The Honda e is at the heart of Honda’s advanced electrification strategy that goes beyond mere mobility. We are very happy to be winners in this future-oriented category. Honda will continue to provide its customers in Germany with innovative technologies in order to drive progress in the field of mobility and everyday life,” Yamashiro said.
The Volkswagen ID.3, a vehicle that was test-driven by Tesla CEO Elon Musk during his recent visit to Germany, was a winner in its own right. The all-electric hatchback won the “Premium” category, beating out vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz GLA, BMW 2er Gran Coupe, and the Honda e. The “Compact” and “Performance” categories were won by the Volkswagen Golf and BMW Alpina B3, respectively.
This is not the first year that Tesla’s vehicles were seemingly shunned in the German Car of the Year awards. Last year, for example, the vehicle that came away as the overall 2020 Car of the Year was the Porsche Taycan, and in 2019, it was the Jaguar I-PACE. Perhaps, with Gigafactory Berlin coming online in the coming year and producing the Model Y locally, the all-electric crossover could go beyond just being a nominee in the German Car of the Year awards.
News
Elon Musk confirms Tesla FSD V14.2 will see widespread rollout
Musk shared the news in a post on social media platform X.

Elon Musk has confirmed that Tesla will be implementing a wide rollout of Full Self-Driving (FSD) V14 with the system’s V14.2 update. Musk shared the news in a post on social media platform X.
FSD V14.1.2 earns strong praise from testers
Musk’s comment came as a response to Tesla owner and longtime FSD tester AI DRIVR, who noted that it might be time to release Full Self-Driving to the fleet because V14.1.2 has already become very refined.
“95% of the indecisive lane changes and braking have been fixed in FSD 14.1.2. I haven’t touched my steering wheel in two days. I think it’s time, Tesla AI,” the longtime FSD tester wrote.
AI DRIVR’s comment received quite a bit of support from fellow Tesla drivers, some of whom noted that the improvements that were implemented in V14.1.2 are substantial. Others also agreed that it’s time for FSD to see a wide release.
In his reply to the FSD tester, CEO Elon Musk noted that FSD V14’s wide release would happen with V14.2. “14.2 for widespread use,” Musk wrote in his reply.
Mad Max mode makes headlines
One of the key features that was introduced with FSD’s current iteration is Mad Max mode, which allows for higher speeds and more frequent lane changes than the previous “Hurry” mode. Videos and social media posts from FSD testers have shown the system deftly handling complex traffic, merging seamlessly, and maintaining an assertive but safe driving behavior with Mad Max mode engaged.
Tesla AI head Ashok Elluswamy recently noted in a post on X that Mad Max mode was built to handle congested daytime traffic, making it extremely useful for drivers who tend to find themselves in heavy roads during their daily commutes. With Musk now hinting that FSD V14.2 will go on wide release, it might only be a matter of time before the larger Tesla fleet gets to experience the notable improvements of FSD’s V14 update.
News
Multiple Tesla Cybercab units spotted at Giga Texas crash test facility
The vehicles were covered, but one could easily recognize the Cybercab’s sleek lines and compact size.

It appears that Tesla is ramping up its activities surrounding the development and likely initial production of the Cybercab at Giga Texas. This was, at least, hinted at in a recent drone flyover of the massive electric vehicle production facility in Austin.
Cybercab sightings fuel speculations
As observed by longtime Giga Texas drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer, Tesla had several covered Cybercab units outside the facility’s crash testing facility at the time of his recent flyover. The vehicles were covered, but one could easily recognize the Cybercab’s sleek lines and compact size. Tegtmeyer also observed during his flyover that production of the Model Y Standard seems to be hitting its pace.
The drone operator noted that the seven covered Cybercabs might be older prototypes being decommissioned or new units awaiting crash tests. Either scenario points to a ramp-up in Cybercab activity at Giga Texas, however. “In either case, this is another datapoint indicating production is getting closer to happening,” Tegtmeyer wrote on X, highlighting that the autonomous two-seaters were quite exciting to see.
Cybercab production targets
This latest sighting follows reports of renewed Cybercab appearances at both the Fremont Factory and Giga Texas. A test unit was recently spotted driving on Giga Texas’ South River Road. Another Cybercab, seen at Tesla’s Fremont Factory, appeared to be manually driven, suggesting that the vehicle’s current prototypes may still be produced with temporary steering controls.
The Tesla Cybercab is designed to be the company’s highest-volume vehicle, with CEO Elon Musk estimating that the autonomous two-seater should see an annual production rate of about 2 million units per year. To accomplish this, Tesla will be building the Cybercab using its “Unboxed” process, which should help the vehicle’s production line achieve outputs that are more akin to consumer electronics production lines.
Elon Musk
Teslas in the Boring Co. Vegas Loop are about to get a big change
Elon Musk has a big update for Teslas that operate within the Boring Company’s Vegas Loop.

Tesla vehicles operating in the Boring Company’s Vegas Loop are about to get a big change, CEO Elon Musk said.
In Las Vegas, the Boring Company operates the Vegas Loop, an underground tunnel system that uses Teslas to drop people off at various hotspots on the strip. It’s been active for a few years now and is expanding to other resorts, hotels, and destinations.
Currently, there are stops at three resorts: Westgate, the Encore, and Resorts World. However, there will eventually be “over 100 stations and span over 68 miles of tunnel,” the Vegas Loop website says.
The Loop utilizes Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles to send passengers to their desired destinations. They are currently driven using the Full Self-Driving suite, but they also have safety drivers in each vehicle to ensure safety.
Tesla Cybertruck rides are crucial for Vegas Loop expansion to airport
Tesla and the Boring Company have been working to remove drivers from the vehicles used in the Loop, but now, it appears there is a set timeline to have them out, according to CEO Elon Musk:
The Tesla cars operating in The Boring Company tunnels under Las Vegas will be driverless in a month or two https://t.co/mX4nNrJui9
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 18, 2025
Musk says the Boring Co. will no longer rely on safety drivers within the Teslas for operation. Instead, Tesla will look to remove the safety drivers from the cars within the next month or two, a similar timeline for what Musk believes the Robotaxi platform will look like in Austin.
In Texas, as Robotaxi continues to operate as it has since June, there are still safety monitors within the car who sit in the passenger’s seat. They are there to ensure a safe experience for riders.
When the route takes the vehicle on the highway, safety monitors move into the driver’s seat.
However, Tesla wants to be able to remove safety monitors from its vehicles in Austin by the end of the year, Musk has said recently.
In early September, Musk said that the safety monitors are “just there for the first few months to be extra safe.” He then added that there “should be no safety driver by end of year.”
The safety driver is just there for the first few months to be extra safe.
Should be no safety driver by end of year.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 4, 2025
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