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Tesla Model Y teardown forces Toyota to see an inconvenient truth: report

Image Credit: Tesla Inc.

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3 years ago

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For some time now, it appeared that Toyota would be left behind in the electric vehicle transition. The company did not seem very serious about EVs, and the electric cars that it does release seem half-hearted at best. But as per a recent report, Toyota appears to have changed its stance on electric cars somewhat. They just needed to tear down a Tesla Model Y first. 

There’s something quite remarkable about Teslas. They may look the same over the years, but their internals are changed very frequently. This was certainly the case with the Tesla Model Y. Its earliest iterations are quite different from its latest versions, particularly those that are built in Giga Texas that use both front and rear megacasts and a structural 4680 battery pack. 

As noted in an Automotive News report, Toyota engineers recently conducted a teardown of a Tesla Model Y. The best-selling all-electric crossover did not just show the innovations that Tesla implemented on the vehicle. It also made Toyota realize that if they wanted to catch up in the emerging EV sector, they would have to get very serious about electric cars. 

Beneath the Model Y’s rather unassuming exterior was a car that could be described as a “masterfully simplistic vehicle structure built with an advanced manufacturing prowess,” the motoring publication noted. It was also something that would most likely incite envy among veteran automakers. A Toyota executive who looked over the Model Y’s components reportedly noted that the vehicle was nothing short of a work of art. 

“Taking the skin off the Model Y, it was truly a work of art. It’s unbelievable,” the executive said. 

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If there was something that became evident for Toyota’s executives when they tore down the Model Y, it was the fact that the Japanese veteran automaker’s manufacturing expertise has been exceeded — at least when it comes to electric cars. This was evident in the Model Y’s internals, which has been updated over the years to make it better and more cost-effective to build. 

The Model Y’s megacasts, which were made possible by Tesla’s work with companies like IDRA to create Giga Press machines, eliminated numerous parts that make production more complicated. Toyota appears to have gotten its hands on a 4680 Model Y as well, as the publication referenced the all-electric crossover’s battery being part of the vehicle’s structure itself. 

Toyota reportedly estimated that Tesla’s approach, which the company developed over many years of painstaking optimizations, effectively eliminated hundreds of parts and about 220 pounds of weight. Innovations in the Model Y also boosted the Model Y’s battery range and lowered its overall costs. A Toyota executive described Tesla’s approach to the Model Y as a “whole different manufacturing philosophy.”

Another executive reportedly noted that what Toyota needs at this point is something different from what the veteran automaker has been doing so far. “We need a new platform designed as a blank-sheet EV,” the executive said. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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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 lands regulatory green light for Robotaxi testing in new state

This will be the third state in total where Tesla is operating Robotaxi, following Austin and California.

Published

9 hours ago

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September 11, 2025

By

Credit: Tesla

Tesla has landed a regulatory green light to test its Robotaxi platform in a new state, less than three months after the ride-hailing service launched in Texas.

Tesla first launched its driverless Robotaxi suite in Austin, Texas, back on June 22. Initially offering rides to a small group of people, Tesla kept things limited, but this was not to be the mentality for very long.

It continued to expand the rider population, the service area, and the vehicle fleet in Austin.

The company also launched rides in the Bay Area, but it does use a person in the driver’s seat to maintain safety. In Austin, the “Safety Monitor” is present in the passenger’s seat during local rides, and in the driver’s seat for routes that involve highway driving.

Tesla is currently testing the Robotaxi platform in other states. We reported that it was testing in Tempe, Arizona, as validation vehicles are traveling around the city in preparation for Robotaxi.

Tesla looks to make a big splash with Robotaxi in a new market

Tesla is also hoping to launch in Florida and New York, as job postings have shown the company’s intention to operate there.

However, it appears it will launch in Nevada before those states, as the company submitted its application to obtain a Testing Registry certification on September 3. It was processed by the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles Office of Business Licensing on September 10.

It will then need to self-certify for operations, essentially meaning they will need to comply with various state requirements.

This will be the third state in total where Tesla is operating Robotaxi, following Austin and California.

CEO Elon Musk has stated that he believes Robotaxi will be available to at least half of the U.S. population by the end of the year. Geographically, Tesla will need to make incredible strides over the final four months of the year to achieve this.

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Tesla is improving this critical feature in older vehicles

Published

12 hours ago

on

September 11, 2025

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is set to improve a critical feature that has not been present in older vehicles with a new update.

Tesla vehicles feature a comprehensive suite of driver assistance features, some of which aid in driving itself, while others support the vehicle’s surroundings.

One of those features is that of Driver Visualization, and with the rollout of a new update, owners of Intel-based Tesla vehicles are receiving an upgrade that will come with a simple software update.

Tesla plans to use Unreal Engine for driver visualization with crazy upgrade

The update will provide new visualizations while Intel-based vehicles are in reverse, a feature that was not previously available, but will be with Software Update 2025.32.2.

The improvement was spotted by Not a Tesla App via TheBeatYT_evil:

Previously, vehicles Tesla built were equipped with Intel-based processors, but newer cars feature the AMD chip, which is capable of rendering these visualizations as they happen. They were capable of visualizations when driving forward, but not in reverse, which is what this change resolves.

It is a good sign for those with Intel-based vehicles, as Tesla seems to be paying attention to what those cars are not capable of and improving them.

This was an undocumented improvement associated with this particular update, so you will not find any mention of it in the release notes that Tesla distributes with each update.

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Tesla looks to make a big splash with Robotaxi in a new market

Tesla has been transparent that it is prioritizing safety, but it believes it can expand to basically any geographical location within the United States and find success with its Robotaxi suite. CEO Elon Musk said it could be available to half of the U.S. population by the end of the year.

Published

13 hours ago

on

September 11, 2025

By

Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer | X

Tesla is looking to make a big splash with Robotaxi in a new market, as the company was spotted testing validation vehicles in one region where it has not yet launched its ride-hailing service.

After launching Robotaxi in Austin in late June, Tesla followed up with a relatively quick expansion to the Bay Area of California. Both service areas are operating with a geofence that is expansive: In Texas, it is 173 square miles, while in the Bay Area, it is roughly 400 square miles.

Tesla has been transparent that it is prioritizing safety, but it believes it can expand to basically any geographical location within the United States and find success with its Robotaxi suite. CEO Elon Musk said it could be available to half of the U.S. population by the end of the year.

There have been plenty of reports out there that have speculated as to where Tesla would land next to test Robotaxi, and Nevada, Florida, Arizona, and New York have all been in the realm of possibility. These regions will need to approve Tesla for regulatory purposes before Robotaxi can officially operate.

Tesla is still testing and performing validation in several regions, and in Tempe, Arizona, things are moving forward as a Model Y with a LiDAR rig was spotted performing ground truth for the platform:

With the LiDAR unit, many followers of the self-driving and autonomy space might wonder why Tesla uses these apparatuses during validation, especially considering the company’s stance and vision-based approach.

LiDAR is used for “ground truth,” which is basically a solidification or confirmation of what the cameras on the car are seeing. It is a great way to essentially confirm the accuracy of the vision-based suite, and will not be used on Robotaxi units used within the ride-hailing suite.

The Robotaxi platform was made available to the public earlier this month, as Tesla launched its app for iOS users.

Tesla Robotaxi app download rate demolishes Uber, Waymo all-time highs

Downloading the app allows you to join a waitlist, giving you the opportunity to utilize and test the Robotaxi platform in either Austin or the Bay Area.

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