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Tesla Sentry Mode captures man seemingly trying to cause a Model 3 accident
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.
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.
Elon Musk appeared on the Moonshots podcast with Peter Diamandis today to discuss AGI, U.S. vs. China, Tesla, and some other interesting topics, but there was some discussion about the upcoming unveiling of the Roadster, the company’s electric supercar that will arrive several years after it was initially slated for release.
Musk made some pretty amazing claims about the Roadster; we already know it is supposed to be lightning-fast and could even hover, if Tesla gets everything to happen the way it wants to. However, the car has some pretty crazy capabilities, some of which have not even been revealed.
On the podcast, Musk said:
“This is not a…safety is not the main goal. If you buy a Ferrari, safety is not the number one goal. I say, if safety is your number one goal, do not buy the Roadster…We’ll aspire not to kill anyone in this car. It’ll be the best of the last of the human-driven cars. The best of the last.”
🚨 Elon on the Roadster unveiling, scheduled for April 1:
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 6, 2026
Musk makes a good point: people who buy expensive sports cars with ridiculous top speeds and acceleration rates do not buy them to be safe. They hope they are safe in case of an emergency or crash, but safety is not at the forefront of their thoughts, because nobody buys a car thinking they’ll crash it.
The Roadster is truly going to push the limits and capabilities of passenger vehicles; there’s no doubt about that. Tesla plans to show off the new version car for the first time on April 1, and Musk has only hinted at what is possible with it.
Musk said back in November:
“Whether it’s good or bad, it will be unforgettable. My friend Peter Thiel once reflected that the future was supposed to have flying cars, but we don’t have flying cars. I think if Peter wants a flying car, he should be able to buy one…I think it has a shot at being the most memorable product unveiling ever. [It will be unveiled] hopefully before the end of the year. You know, we need to make sure that it works. This is some crazy technology in this car. Let’s just put it this way: if you took all the James Bond cars and combined them, it’s crazier than that.”
Production is set to begin between 12 and 18 months after the unveiling, which would put the car out sometime in 2027. Hopefully, Tesla is able to stay on track with the scheduling of the Roadster; many people have been waiting a long time for it.
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Tesla launches hiring for Robotaxi program in its twentieth country
Overall, the hiring signals Tesla’s aggressive timeline for global dominance in autonomous mobility.
Tesla has launched a hiring initiative for its Robotaxi program in its twentieth country, as the company posted two new jobs in Thailand this week.
Tesla is hiring in Bangkok and Kowloon for the Vehicle Operator position, which is related to data collection, and is the first in Thailand, but the twentieth country overall, as the company tries to expand into other markets.
🚨 BREAKING: Tesla is hiring additional full-time Vehicle Operators in Bangkok, Thailand.
Previous openings were 6-month, part-time roles. These are equivalent to AI Safety Operator roles in the U.S. pic.twitter.com/R6LzoU1bos— Tesla Yoda (@teslayoda) January 5, 2026
Tesla has had active job postings for Vehicle Operator positions in the United States, India, Israel, Taiwan, Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary, the UK, Finland, Switzerland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Austria, Spain, Norway, Italy, and Turkey in past listings.
These postings are not all currently available, likely because the roles have been filled.
Thailand is the most recent, and broadens the company’s potential path to expanding its ride-hailing program, which is only active in the United States in Austin, Texas, and the California Bay Area, so far.
These roles typically involve data collection, which assists in improving Autopilot and Full Self-Driving operation. Tesla’s self-driving programs utilize real-world data that is accumulated and stored, observing vehicle and traffic behavior, as well as tendencies that are performed by human drivers to help increase safety and overall performance.
Overall, the hiring signals Tesla’s aggressive timeline for global dominance in autonomous mobility. Although the company has several high-profile rivals and competitors in the field, it has established itself as a main player and a leader in the development of autonomous technology, especially in the U.S., as its FSD suite is refined on almost a weekly basis.
The Full Self-Driving suite is available in seven countries and territories currently, including the U.S., Canada, China, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Australia, and New Zealand. Its biggest goal for expansion is currently the European market, where regulatory hurdles have been the main bottleneck prolonging its launch on the continent.
Tesla has performed months of testing in various European countries, including France and Spain, and does have support in some areas from various regulatory agencies. However, the company is hoping to get through this red tape and offer its suite in Europe for the first time, hopefully this year.
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Tesla China rolls out Model Y upgrades, launches low-interest financing
These strategies are aimed at improving the ownership experience and keeping vehicle pricing competitive in the world’s largest electric vehicle market.
Tesla has rolled out minor updates to the five-seat Model Y in China, upgrading the vehicle’s center display to a higher-resolution 16-inch 2K screen. The electric vehicle maker also introduced attractive financing options, including 7-year low-interest rates, to offset the new purchase tax on EVs.
These strategies are aimed at improving the ownership experience and keeping vehicle pricing competitive in the world’s largest electric vehicle market.
Five-seat Model Y gets larger, better display
With its recent update, all three variants of the five-seat Model Y now feature an upgraded 16-inch 2K resolution center display, which replaces the vehicle’s previous 15.4-inch 1080p panel. This screen was already used in the six-seat Model Y L, and it offered improved visual clarity. Tesla China has also updated the Model Y’s headliner to black, giving the vehicle a sleeker appearance.
Prices of the five-seat Model Y remain unchanged at RMB 263,500, RMB 288,500, and RMB 313,500 for the respective trims. This update enhances the cabin experience as domestic rivals are already adopting high-resolution screens. As noted in a CNEV Post report, some domestic automakers have begun rolling out vehicles equipped with 3K-resolution displays.
New financing offers
Tesla also launched ultra-long-term financing offers for its locally produced models in China, which include the Model 3 sedan, the five-seat Model Y, and the six-seat Model Y L, through January 31, 2026. The 7-year option features an annualized fee rate as low as 0.5%, which is equivalent to 0.98% interest. This is expected to save customers up to RMB 33,479 ($4,790) compared to standard rates.
A 5-year zero-interest plan is also available, and it has been extended to the Tesla Model Y L for the first time. These incentives help offset China’s new 5% purchase tax on New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) in 2026-2027. Some of Tesla’s rivals in China have announced in recent months that they would be covering the purchase tax owed by buyers early this year.
Elon Musk just said some crazy stuff about the Tesla Roadster
Tesla launches hiring for Robotaxi program in its twentieth country
