

Lifestyle
Tesla Network could bring radical change to the way we own cars
Just one tap on your phone could summon a Tesla right to your house as you enjoy your morning coffee. Not a morning person? Don’t worry about needing to make small talk with your driver—this car is driving itself. Take your coffee with you, hop in, and travel in comfort and style wherever you want to go. All that, and your trip costs less than a bus ticket.
That is the future according to Elon Musk with his proposed autonomous ride-sharing “Tesla Network.”
The ambitious Tesla CEO expects all new cars to be fully autonomous within the next 10 years and that owning a “regular” non-self-driving car will be akin to owning a horse. According to Musk’s “Master Plan, Part Deux”— which he released in summer 2016 as a follow up to his 2006 “Secret Tesla Motors Master Plan”— Tesla’s objectives include the official development of “a self-driving capability that is 10X safer than manual via massive fleet learning” and the ability of “car to make money for you when you aren’t using it.” Given that the typical car owner only uses their vehicle during about 5 to 10 percent of the day, having your car make money for the other 90 to 95 percent of the day could be a pretty sweet deal. While you’re at work, asleep, or even on vacation, your Tesla could be driving around the city, picking up and dropping off passengers without any extra effort on your part.
Tesla ride-sharing
The Tesla Network has the potential to upset the established ride-hailing giants, like Uber, in significant ways. Yet, it also has the potential to simply never materialize. Which road the Tesla Network ends up driving down depends on how quickly Tesla can develop its autonomous technology— and how quickly people can begin to trust it with their lives.

Tesla Model S owner tests human detection capabilities of Autopilot 2.0
All Tesla vehicles currently in production are equipped with the hardware necessary to support full autonomous driving in the future. For now, while Autopilot is impressive— it can change lanes, navigate traffic jams, and brake for obstacles with no human guidance needed—, it is far from perfect. The program is still technically in “public beta” testing, and rated by the National Transportation Safety Board as a 2 out of 5 on its scale of autonomy. To make up an effective fleet of self-driving vehicles riding around town while their owners are at work, Autopilot needs to be rated as a Level 5 on the NTSB’s scale. Musk predicts that Autopilot will be at true Level 5 autonomy within just two years. Even more ambitiously, he has announced that a Tesla will be able to drive completely autonomously from California to New York City by the end of this year.
Having this fleet could radically change the way that people get around each day. In a recent TED Talk, Musk said that the Tesla Network will provide cheaper transportation than public transport. This outcome would require both a large number of autonomous vehicles to be available to the public and would also require a large number of the public to use those vehicles. If both of these conditions are met, costs would plummet, potentially enough that Musk’s claim that riding on the Network “would cost less than a bus ticket” will come true. The owners of the Tesla Network fleet may have even more to benefit from the enterprise. By capitalizing on the average 95% of time their cars are simply parked in a garage or lot, Tesla hopes owners will be able to offset the relatively high cost of their vehicles or even exceed the cost and actually make profit.
However, just because one can own a Tesla with “Full Self-Driving Capability,” does not mean that they’re given free rein over the way they use that facility. Included in their order is a short, but important, disclaimer to sign: “Please note that using a self-driving Tesla for car sharing and ride hailing for friends and family is fine, but doing so for revenue purposes will only be permissible on the Tesla Network.”
The Competition
Musk is set on ensuring that the Tesla Network and its reputation grows in a controlled and organized fashion— and that the owner can’t use their car to support other competitors, like Uber or Lyft.
For those competitors, the Tesla Network threatens to disrupt their established leadership of the ride-hailing industry. Uber and Lyft, as well as automakers such as Cadillac, Audi, and Volvo, are furiously working to release their own Level 5 self-driving fleets of vehicles first, to take control of the market before anyone else can.
In a Business Insider interview, the president of GM, Dan Ammann, said most people won’t have their first autonomous vehicle experience in a car they actually own. Rather, he believes “it’s very clear that the first application of autonomous vehicles is in a ride-sharing setting.” GM has recently partnered with Lyft to develop autonomous vehicles. Tesla, meanwhile, is effectively locking Uber, Lyft, and other similar enterprises out of its Autopilot technology with its prohibition on using Tesla self-driving tech for revenue outside of the Network. Musk has implied that Tesla is not looking to be a direct competitor of Uber, saying, “It’s not Tesla versus Uber, it’s the people versus Uber.” On the other hand, Tesla rebuffed an offer last year by Uber’s former-CEO Travis Kalanick to partner in self-driving projects, as reported by Bloomberg.
Many people will use the Tesla Network to simply have experience riding in a Tesla that they may not be able to afford on their own. But for those who do own the coveted cars, how many will be willing to let others use their Teslas without supervision? Matthew DeBord of Business Insider notes, “Musk and his team are clearly thinking economically when they think about the Tesla Network. But they might not be thinking about how people really own cars — especially Teslas, which have around them a Ferrari-like halo of desirability.” Musk’s idea rests on the assumption that people’s desire to make extra money will outweigh their protective instincts of their Tesla. Of course, the advent of the mass-market Model 3, with a lower sticker price and higher availability, could affect this protectionism.
Safety First
The extent to which people are comfortable loaning their Teslas out will also depend on the degree to which the company is prepared to protect them from financial loss. When asked who bears the responsibility in a crash of a self-driving Tesla on the Tesla Network, Musk placed the majority of the burden on the owner of the vehicle. “I think it would be up to the individual’s insurance,” said Musk. “If it’s something endemic to our design, certainly we would take responsibility for that.” Uber and Lyft expanded their insurance coverage in 2015 to include liability insurance for drivers while they are “on duty.” It’s unclear whether Tesla owners would have a similar, if limited, safety net.
Of course, questions of insurance, liability, and use all depend on states giving permission to Tesla and others to use widespread self-driving technology first. Only a few states have any semblance of laws guiding self-driving cars’ testing and application, but Capitol Hill seems to be finally exploring the issue. A new bill being circulated in Washington would give federal regulators the power over self-driving tech, taking that authority from the states. Moving away from the patchwork of regulations, bans, and limitations between cities and states into a cohesive federal policy will help Musk’s Tesla Network grow in an organized and connected manner.
And even if regulators figure out how they want to control autonomous vehicles, Tesla still has to win the public’s trust to make the Tesla Network a widespread success. A 2017 Deloitte study shows that 74 percent of Americans don’t currently trust self-driving cars. Whether this is an easy fear to overcome or not is yet to be seen. But Musk’s ventures have consistently seen success in innovating first and asking questions second. The electric car, the reusable rocket, the solar roof, and the Tesla Network. The future is coming for us whether we’re ready or not.
Lifestyle
Tesla Cybertruck takes a bump from epic failing Dodge Charger
The Cybertruck seemed unharmed by the charging Charger.

There comes a time in a driver’s life when one is faced with one’s limitations. For the driver of a Dodge Charger, this time came when he lost control and crashed into a Tesla Cybertruck–an absolute epic fail.
A video of the rather unfortunate incident was shared on the r/TeslaLounge subreddit.
Charging Charger Fails
As could be seen in the video, which was posted on the subreddit by Model Y owner u/Hammer_of_something, a group of teens in a Dodge Charger decided to do some burnouts at a Tesla Supercharger. Unfortunately, the driver of the Charger failed in his burnout or donut attempt, resulting in the mopar sedan going over a curb and bumping a charging Cybertruck.
Ironically, the Dodge Charger seemed to have been parked at a Supercharger stall before its driver decided to perform the failed stunt. This suggests that the vehicle was likely ICE-ing a charging stall before it had its epic fail moment. Amusingly enough, the subreddit member noted that the Cybertruck did not seem like it took any damage at all despite its bump. The Charger, however, seemed like it ran into some trouble after crashing into the truck.
Alleged Aftermath
As per the the r/TeslaLounge subreddit member, the Cybertruck owner came rushing out to his vehicle after the Dodge Charger crashed into it. The Model Y owner then sent over the full video of the incident, which clearly showed the Charger attempting a burnout, failing, and bumping into the Cybertruck. The Cybertruck owner likely appreciated the video, in part because it showed the driver of the Dodge Charger absolutely freaking out after the incident.
The Cybertruck is not an impregnable vehicle, but it can take bumps pretty well thanks to its thick stainless steel body. Based on this video, it appears that the Cybertruck can even take bumps from a charging Charger, all while chilling and charging at a Supercharger. As for the teens in the Dodge, they likely had to provide a long explanation to authorities after the incident, since the cops were called to the location.
Lifestyle
Anti-Elon Musk group crushes Tesla Model 3 with Sherman tank–with unexpected results
Ironically enough, the group’s video ended up highlighting something very positive for Tesla.

Anti-Elon Musk protesters and critics tend to show their disdain for the CEO in various ways, but a recent video from political action group Led By Donkeys definitely takes the cake when it comes to creativity.
Ironially enough, the group’s video also ended up highlighting something very positive for Tesla.
Tank vs. Tesla
In its video, Led By Donkeys featured Ken Turner, a 98-year-old veteran who served in the British army during World War II. The veteran stated that Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, is “using his immense power to support the far-right in Europe, and his money comes from Tesla cars.”
He also noted that he had a message for the Tesla CEO: “We’ve crushed fascism before and we’ll crush it again.” To emphasize his point, the veteran proceeded to drive a Sherman tank over a blue Tesla Model 3 sedan, which, of course, had a plate that read “Fascism.”
The heavy tank crushed the Model 3’s glass roof and windows, much to the delight of Led By Donkeys’ commenters on its official YouTube channel. But at the end of it all, the aftermath of the anti-Elon Musk demonstration ended up showcasing something positive for the electric vehicle maker.
Tesla Model 3 Tanks the Tank?
As could be seen from the wreckage of the Tesla Model 3 after its Sherman encounter, only the glass roof and windows of the all-electric sedan were crushed. Looking at the wreckage of the Model 3, it seemed like its doors could still be opened, and everything on its lower section looked intact.
Considering that a standard M4 Sherman weighs about 66,800 to 84,000 pounds, the Model 3 actually weathered the tank’s assault really well. Granted, the vehicle’s suspension height before the political action group’s demonstration suggests that the Model 3’s high voltage battery had been removed beforehand. But even if it hadn’t been taken off, it seemed like the vehicle’s battery would have survived the heavy ordeal without much incident.
This was highlighted in comments from users on social media platform X, many of whom noted that a person in the Model 3 could very well have survived the ordeal with the Sherman. And that, ultimately, just speaks to the safety of Tesla’s vehicles. There is a reason why Teslas consistently rank among the safest cars on the road, after all.
Lifestyle
Tesla Model 3 driver is using FSD to travel to Mt. Everest Base Camp
The ambitious, nearly 4,000-kilometer (2,485-mile) Tesla FSD journey is being livestreamed on Chinese social media.

Count on Tesla drivers in China to push Full Self Driving (FSD) as far as it could go. As could be seen in videos posted on Chinese social media, a brave Model 3 owner is currently going on an epic journey from Henan Province to the base camp of Mt. Everest on FSD.
Recent posts from the Model 3 driver suggest that the ambitious destination may be within reach.
Epic FSD Journey
As noted by Tesla owner-enthusiast Aaron Li, the journey from Henan Province to the base camp of Mt. Everest spans almost 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles). The journey itself is epic, with stunning vistas and roads that require some drivers to bring oxygen canisters with them. The fact that it is being done using FSD makes it extra impressive.
Based on the videos that have been recently shared, the Model 3 running FSD seems to be nearing the Everest Base Camp. There seems to be a good chance that the Tesla Model 3 may reach its destination this Friday.
Previous Everest Trips
This is not the first time that a Tesla has driven to Mt. Everest’s base camp. That would be a Model 3 that was driven in September 2020. That vehicle, which went on a long 5,500 km (3,400-mile) journey, was manually driven to its destination.
In April 2021, Tesla China announced that it has completed the buildout of 11 Supercharger stations in the picturesque route from Chengdu to Tingri. This route would allow drivers to reach the base camp of Mt. Everest. Sure enough, in July 2022, Tesla China shared a video of two Teslas—a Model X and Model Y—reaching the Everest base camp without any issues. Numerous other Tesla drivers have since taken on the long, picturesque journey.
Check out this Tesla Model Y’s journey to the Mt. Everest base camp in the video below.
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