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Tesla Sentry Mode captures man seemingly trying to cause a Model 3 accident

(Credit: Kees Ihlhaug?/Facebook, YouTube)

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Recent footage from a Tesla owner in Flesland, Norway has revealed a rather shocking video of a man seemingly trying to cause a Model 3 accident. The video, which was recorded through the electric sedan’s Sentry Mode feature, showed the man deliberately removing the nuts on the Model 3’s rear wheels, which could have resulted in the vehicle’s wheels falling off during driving.

In a post on Norway-based Tesla-themed Facebook group Teslanytt, Kees Ihlhaug‎, the vehicle’s owner, noted that the incident happened earlier this week at a parking lot in Lilandsveien, near Bergen Airport at Flesland. After driving his Tesla for about 10 meters, Ihlhaug‎ noticed that his car was behaving strangely. Upon checking his Model 3’s wheels, he found that all but one nut on each of his vehicle’s rear wheels have been taken off. The last nut on each wheel was loosened considerably as well, and it would have easily fallen off had the Tesla owner driven his Model 3 a bit further.

Ihlhaug‎ promptly called a local tire company that fortunately was able to help him out. With new nuts on his vehicle’s wheels, the Model 3 owner was able to drive away safely. When he checked the footage from his electric sedan’s Sentry Mode feature, he was rather shocked to see a man, face hidden with a mask, deliberately removing his Model 3’s rear wheel nuts. Based on the video, it appears that after Sentry Mode was activated midway through the incident, the perpetrator fled the scene.

Footage of the incident was turned over to the police. Unfortunately, the man’s face was covered, making it challenging to identify the perpetrator. There were no security cameras in the parking lot where Ihlhaug‎ left his Model 3 as well. Speaking to local news agency NRK, Section leader Kristine Pettersen at Bergen South Police District noted that the incident could have resulted in something very dangerous. “It is serious when someone bumps with the wheels of a car. It is, of course, not safe to drive when four out of five nuts are off. The damage potential is great if the driver had not been vigilant,” she said.

While the man’s motivations behind his actions remain unclear, and while Ihlhaug‎ himself noted that the person might have simply wanted to steal his wheels (his Model 3 is equipped with aftermarket rims), the fact that the man seemingly opted to leave one nut on each rear wheel suggests that the perpetrator’s motivations might have been more sinister. The man did not use any tools to lift and support the vehicle, for one, which would have made removing the Model 3’s wheels very difficult. Thus, as unfortunate as it may seem, it appears that the perpetrator might have been deliberately attempting to cause the Model 3 to crash.

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An extensive look into the treatment of Tesla owners in Norway by NRK late last year has revealed that some of the electric vehicles are seeing some harsh treatment on the road. According to Tom Alfred, a longtime driver and Model X owner, Teslas and other electric cars are starting to attract aggressive drivers. Citing an EV-centric Facebook group that he interacts with, Alfred told the publication that critics had dubbed Tesla and EV owners as “lowest ranking social parasites,” and “spammers who are sponsored by us who drive diesel cars,” among others.

Alfred has noted that these sentiments are spilling over to how he is being treated on the road. “It has become more difficult to merge. I often lie behind other cars. And I have experienced traffic-dangerous situations I have never experienced before. It may be just something I feel about, since I know what kind of prejudice people have. Or it’s because I have a Tesla,” he said. The Model X owner noted that due to these experiences, he has begun avoiding talking about his car in social gatherings. “I still hold a lower profile now than before. I’m trying to avoid talking about having a Tesla,” he said.

Watch Sentry Mode capture footage of a man deliberately removing the wheel nuts on a Model 3 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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Starship Flight 9 nears as SpaceX’s Starbase becomes a Texan City

SpaceX’s launch site is officially incorporated as Starbase, TX. Starship Flight 9 could launch on May 27, 2025. 

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(Credit: Jenny Hautmann/Wikimedia Commons)

SpaceX’s Starbase is officially incorporated as a city in Texas, aligning with preparations for Starship Flight 9. The newly formed city in Cameron County serves as the heart of SpaceX’s Starship program.

Starbase City spans 1.5 square miles, encompassing SpaceX’s launch facility and company-owned land. A near-unanimous vote by residents, who were mostly SpaceX employees, led to its incorporation. SpaceX’s Vice President of Test and Launch, Bobby Peden, was elected mayor of Starbase. The new Texas city also has two SpaceX employees as commissioners. All Starbase officials will serve two-year terms unless extended to four by voters.

As the new city takes shape, SpaceX is preparing for the Starship Flight 9 launch, which is tentatively scheduled for May 27, 2025, at 6:30 PM CDT from Starbase, Texas.

SpaceX secured Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for up to 25 annual Starship and Super Heavy launches from the site. However, the FAA emphasized that “there are other licensing requirements still to be completed,” including policy, safety, and environmental reviews.

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On May 15, the FAA noted SpaceX updated its launch license for Flight 9, but added: “SpaceX may not launch until the FAA either closes the Starship Flight 8 mishap investigation or makes a return to flight determination. The FAA is reviewing the mishap report SpaceX submitted on May 14.”

Proposed Texas legislation could empower Starbase officials to close local highways and restrict Boca Chica Beach access during launches. Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino, Jr., opposes the Texas legislation, insisting beach access remain under county control. This tension highlights the balance between SpaceX’s ambitions and local interests.

Starbase’s incorporation strengthens SpaceX’s operational base as it gears up for Starship Flight 9, a critical step in its mission to revolutionize space travel. With growing infrastructure and regulatory hurdles in focus, Starbase is poised to become a cornerstone of SpaceX’s vision, blending community development with cutting-edge aerospace innovation.

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The Boring Company accelerates Vegas Loop expansion plans

The Boring Company clears fire safety delays, paving the way to accelerating its Vegas Loop expansion plans.

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Credit: The Boring Company/X

After overcoming fire safety hurdles, the Boring Company is accelerating its Vegas Loop expansion. The project’s progress signals a transformative boost for Sin City’s transportation and tourism.

Elon Musk’s tunneling company, along with The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and Clark County, resolved fire safety concerns that delayed new stations.

“It’s new. It’s taken a little time to figure out what the standard should be,” said Steve Hill, LVCVA President and CEO, during last week’s board meeting. “We’ve gotten there. We’re excited about that. We’re ready to expand further, faster, than we have.”

Last month, the company submitted permits for tunnel extensions connecting Encore to a parcel of land owned by Wynn and Caesars Palace. The three tunnels are valued at $600,000 based on country records.

Plans for a Tropicana Loop are also advancing, linking UNLV to MGM Grand, T-Mobile Arena, Allegiant Stadium, Mandalay Bay, and the upcoming Athletics’ ballpark. Downtown extensions from the convention center to the Strat, Fremont Street Experience, and Circa’s Garage Mahal are also in the permitting process.

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“Those are all in process,” Hill noted. “We’ve got machines that are available to be put in the ground. I think we’ve reached a framework for how these projects are going to work and how they’ll be permitted from a safety standpoint, as well as a building standpoint.”

The Boring Company has six boring machines, with three currently active in Las Vegas. Last week, TBC announced that it successfully mined continuously in a Zero-People-in-Tunnel (ZPIT) configuration, enabling it to build more tunnels faster, safer, and at a more affordable rate.

Tunneling under Paradise Road is underway as The Boring Company works on the University Center Loop. The University Center Loop is expected to connect to the Las Vegas Convention Center within two months, linking to the Westgate tunnel. The full Vegas Loop will span 104 stations and 68 miles. Even though The Boring Company’s tunnel network in Las Vegas isn’t nearly finished, it has already become a key attraction in the city.

“It’s such a great attraction for shows that are looking at this building (convention center) and we’re going to be connected to everybody in town,” Hill said. “It’s a real difference-maker.”

A few Vegas Loop stations are already operational, including those connected to Resorts World, Westgate, Encore, and all the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop stations. The Downtown Loop, which connects to the downtown area, and the Riviera Station, the hub that leads to Resorts World with Westgate destinations, are also operational.

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As The Boring Company accelerates the Vegas Loop, its tunnels are poised to redefine mobility and tourism in Las Vegas, blending cutting-edge technology with practical urban solutions.

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Neuralink Blindsight human trials expected to start in the UAE

Neuralink aims to restore vision with its Blindsight BCI implant. First human implant for Blindsight may happen in UAE.

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(Credit: Neuralink)

During Elon Musk’s interview at the Qatar Economic Forum, he announced that Neuralink aims to implant its Blindsight brain-to-computer interface (BCI) device in a human patient by late 2025 or early 2026.

Blindsight focuses on restoring vision. A few years ago, Musk mentioned that Neuralink’s BCI devices would restore vision for people, even those born blind.

“The first two applications we’re going to aim for in humans are restoring vision, and I think this is notable in that even if someone has never had vision ever, like they were born blind, we believe we can still restore vision. The visual part of the cortex is still there. Even if they’ve never seen before, we’re confident they could see,” Musk said during Neuralink’s Show & Tell in 2022. 

Musk said Blindsight could be implanted into a human patient in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Neuralink plans to partner with the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi to implant the first human patient with Blindsight.

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Elon Musk’s neurotechnology company is partnering with the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi to conduct the first clinical trial of the UAE-PRIME study. Like Neuralink’s PRIME study in the United States, UAE-PRIME will focus on human patients with motor and speech impairments.

Neuralink received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to conduct the PRIME and CONVOY studies in the United States. PRIME tests the capabilities of the company’s Link implant to restore or enable motor and speech in participants. Meanwhile, the CONVOY study explores Link’s ability to control assistive robotic devices. Neuralink already has an assistive robotic arm called ARA that could expand patients’ autonomy beyond smart devices.

Blindsight would probably require a separate study from PRIME and CONVOY. As such, Neuralink might need FDA approval in the United States to start human trials for Blindsight. However, Blindsight already received a “breakthrough device” designation from the US FDA.

In April 2025, Neuralink opened its patient registry to participants worldwide. The neurotechnology company has already implanted its Link BCI device into five patients. Earlier this year, Neuralink welcomed one of its first PRIME study participants as the first patient in its CONVOY study.

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