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Tesla’s next Easter Egg will greet car vandals with Bach and Beethoven
Tesla CEO Eon Musk revealed additional details on how the company’s upcoming Sentry Mode theft-deterrent system will function, which includes a humorous look against the background of something as serious as addressing vehicle break-ins. According to Musk’s latest Tweet about the Iron Man-reminiscent feature, when an intrusion is detected while Sentry Mode is activated, composer Johann Sebastian Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 will play, drawing as much attention as possible to the would-be perpetrator(s). Tesla’s combined commitment to its customers’ safety, security, and more-cowbells-fun is something frequently on display, and this amusing spin on a vehicle alarm system is no different.
But, occasionally, the metal versionhttps://t.co/ogHYUPoA9z
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 27, 2019
Also added to the playlist about tactical intruder mitigation was a heavy metal version of the same 18th-century composer’s masterpiece. As with many of Musk’s Twitter rounds, the Tesla CEO was open to further suggestions and responded accordingly. An appropriately metal version of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata was proposed by NicheGamer, to which the Tesla executive agreed to include with the upcoming over-the-air software update. Of course, this isn’t the first time a Tesla has been involved in epic heavy metal music with a classical flair. The Model X features a holiday-themed Easter Egg wherein an entertaining light and winged-door show to the song “Wizards in Winter” by Trans Siberian Orchestra is enacted.
Sentry Mode was first revealed by Musk in a tweet-response to a Tesla owner complaint about a dent found in his car made while the vehicle was parked. While the car manufacturer has been rolling out security improvements over the last few months, including an in-car dash cam system and motion-sensing Enhanced Anti-Theft system, this latest reveal was seemingly in response to the most recent rise in Tesla-targeted thefts popping up all over social media and Internet forums. A few days later, Musk estimated that a ‘rough beta’ would be released in 2 to 3 weeks. While specific official details of the Sentry Mode feature are slim, one of the assumed components is an enhanced use of vehicles’ built-in dashcam, itself developed in response to issues of theft and hit-and-run incidents. The array of sensors and cameras which provide 360-degree visibility on Tesla vehicles equipped with the hardware were leveraged to provide the cam feature in the Version 9.0 software updated in September 2018.
-->Rough beta in 2 to 3 weeks
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 25, 2019
When Elon Musk takes to Twitter to discuss new product ideas and features, it may not always be clear whether he’s serious, but it’s always amusing to imagine that he is and more often than not a safe bet to take. After all, The Boring Company (TBC), now poised to take on the traditional underground public transportation construction industry, infamously began with a tweet about “soul crushing” traffic. Considering the rapid expansion into TBC merchandising and positive response therefrom – hats, not-a-flamethrowers, etc. – the trend of tweets-turned-tangibles only has reasons to continue.
In the realm of new software features and Easter Eggs, anything Musk says is probably game for reality once Emissions Testing Mode (ETM) went live in a December 2018 software update. After teasing an upcoming “Toilet Humor” feature via Twitter, Tesla drivers saw the tease-promise kept via ETM which gives the option of directing fart noises to emit from a designated seat in the vehicle. In a tweet that sounds like it came from Musk himself, the official Tesla Twitter account recently pointed out that Romance Mode, the fireplace playing, heater-blasting, mood music setting fun feature released at the same time as ETM, “accommodates up to 5” in the Model 3. Whatever that means. Or doesn’t mean.
Altogether, Sentry Mode probably suggests it’s going to be horns-up for anyone nearby while a would-be robber tests out a Tesla vehicle’s proneness to theft. Either that, or anyone subjected to any intrusion detection system’s misidentifications won’t be so annoyed. (See: obnoxious car alarms that don’t quit.) Oh, and as for keeping Summer safe? Let’s hope things don’t come to that. Auto insurance is pricey enough.
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News
Tesla’s new Holiday perk is timed perfectly to make FSD a household name
Tesla AI4 owners get FSD (Supervised) through Christmas, New Year’s Eve and well into the post-holiday travel season.
Tesla quietly rolled out a free Full Self-Driving (Supervised) trial for roughly 1.5 million HW4 owners in North America who never bought the package, and the timing could very well be genius.
As it turns out, the trial doesn’t end after 30 days. Instead, it expires January 8, 2026, meaning owners get FSD (Supervised) through Christmas, New Year’s Eve and well into the post-holiday travel season. This extended window positions the feature for maximum word-of-mouth exposure.
A clever holiday gift
Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt first spotted the detail after multiple owners shared screenshots showing the trial expiring on January 8. He confirmed with affected users that none had active FSD subscriptions before the rollout. He also observed that Tesla never called the promotion a “30-day trial,” as the in-car message simply reads “You’re Getting FSD (Supervised) For the Holidays,” which technically runs until after the new year.
The roughly 40-day period covers peak family travel and gatherings, giving owners ample opportunity to showcase the latest FSD V14’s capabilities on highway trips, crowded parking lots and neighborhood drives. With relatives riding along, hands-off highway driving and automatic lane changes could become instant conversation starters.
Rave reviews for FSD V14 highlight demo potential
FSD has been receiving positive reviews from users as of late. Following the release of FSD v14.2.1, numerous owners praised the update for its smoothness and reliability. Tesla owner @LactoseLunatic called it a “huge leap forward from version 14.1.4,” praising extreme smoothness, snappy lane changes and assertive yet safe behavior that allows relaxed monitoring.
-->Another Tesla owner, @DevinOlsenn, drove 600 km without disengagements, noting his wife now defaults to FSD for daily use due to its refined feel. Sawyer Merritt also tested FSD V14.2.1 in snow on unplowed New Hampshire roads, and the system stayed extra cautious without hesitation. Longtime FSD tester Chuck Cook highlighted improved sign recognition in school zones, showing better dynamic awareness. These reports of fewer interventions and a more “sentient” drive could turn family passengers into advocates, fueling subscriptions come January.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk predicts AI and robotics could make work “optional” within 20 years
Speaking on entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath’s podcast, Musk predicted that machines will soon handle most forms of labor, leaving humans to work only if they choose to.
Elon Musk stated that rapid advances in artificial intelligence and robotics could make traditional work unnecessary within two decades.
Speaking on entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath’s podcast, Musk predicted that machines will soon handle most forms of labor, leaving humans to work only if they choose to.
Work as a “hobby”
During the discussion, Musk said the accelerating capability of AI systems and general-purpose robots will eventually cover all essential tasks, making human labor a choice rather than an economic requirement. “In less than 20 years, working will be optional. Working at all will be optional. Like a hobby,” Musk said.
When Kamath asked whether this future is driven by massive productivity growth, Musk agreed, noting that people will still be free to work if they enjoy the routine or the challenge. He compared future employment to home gardening, as it is something people can still do for personal satisfaction even if buying food from a store is far easier.
“Optional” work in the future
Elon Musk acknowledged the boldness of his claim and joked that people might look back in 20 years and say he was wrong. That being said, the CEO noted that such a scenario could even happen sooner than his prediction, at least if one were to consider the pace of the advancements in AI and robotics.
-->“Obviously people can play this back in 20 years and say, ‘Look, Elon made this ridiculous prediction and it’s not true,’ but I think it will turn out to be true, that in less than 20 years, maybe even as little as ten or 15 years, the advancements in AI and robotics will bring us to the point where working is optional,” Musk said.
Elon Musk’s comments echo his previous sentiments at Tesla’s 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, where he noted that Optimus could ultimately eliminate poverty. He also noted that robots like Optimus could eventually provide people worldwide with the best medical care.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk reiterates why Tesla will never make an electric motorcycle
Tesla CEO Elon Musk preemptively shut down speculations about a Tesla road bike once more.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk preemptively shut down speculations about a Tesla road bike once more, highlighting that the electric vehicle maker has no plans to enter the electric motorcycle market.
Musk posted his clarification in a post on X.
Musk’s reply to a fun AI video
X user @Moandbhr posted an AI video featuring the Tesla CEO on the social media platform, captioning it with “Mr. Elon Musk Just Revealed the Game-Changing Tesla Motorcycle.” The short clip depicted Musk approaching a sleek, single-wheeled vehicle, stepping onto it, and gliding off into the distance amid cheers. The fun video received a lot of traction on X, gaining 3.1 million views as of writing.
Musk replied to the post, stating that a Tesla motorcycle is not going to happen. “Never happening, as we can’t make motorcycles safe. For Community Notes, my near death experience was on a road bike. Dirt bikes are safe if you ride carefully, as you can’t be smashed by a truck,” Musk wrote in his reply.
Musk’s Past Comments on Two-Wheelers
Musk also detailed his reservations about motorcycles in a December 2019 X post while responding to questions about Tesla’s potential ATV. At the time, he responded positively to an electric ATV, though he also opposed the idea of a Tesla road-going motorcycle. Musk did state that electric dirt bikes might be cool, since they do not operate in areas where large vehicles like Class 8 trucks are present.
-->“Electric dirt bikes would be cool too. We won’t do road bikes, as too dangerous. I was hit by a truck & almost died on one when I was 17,” Musk wrote in his post.
Considering Musk’s comments about dirt bikes, however, perhaps Tesla would eventually offer a road bike as a recreational vehicle. Such a two-wheeler would be a good fit for the Cybertruck, as well as future products like the Robovan, which could be converted into an RV.
Tesla’s new Holiday perk is timed perfectly to make FSD a household name
Elon Musk predicts AI and robotics could make work “optional” within 20 years
