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Tesla top 5: Week in review, February 4

Tesla Model S real-world safety demonstrated after violent rear-end collision
A Reddit user recently posted photos of a Tesla Model S that had a rear-end collision with a Volvo truck. The post concurred with an Insurance Institute of Highway Safety crash test result for the Tesla Model S in which it earned only an “acceptable” rating on its rear crash test. To look at the Reddit photo, one might think that the Tesla Model S does quite well. With a curb weight of 4,647 pounds, the Model S has mass that helped it stand up to a 10-ton truck. The 1,200-lb. flat battery pack strapped to the frame likely was a positive factor, as it reinforces the structural integrity of the vehicle. The Reddit post’s author reported that the driver of the Model S walked away from the collision safe and believes the Tesla saved his life.
Welcome to Tesla, Inc.: We’re more than just electric cars
Tesla announced a corporate name change this week from “Tesla Motors” to “Tesla.” At the time of the company’s founding, the company was positioned as an alternative automobile company. Now, over a decade later, much has changed. With the revised moniker, Tesla confers a broader range of products and services, so that its market reach is much more extensive. Whether it is solar roof tiles, residential and commercial battery systems, or future endeavors such as semi-trucks, electric buses, ride sharing, and tunnel boring, the name Tesla speaks to the company’s overarching goals of clean energy efforts. Musk has repeated how his company will “create stunning solar roofs with seamlessly integrated battery storage, expand the electric vehicle product line to address all major segments, develop a self-driving capability that is 10X safer than manual via massive fleet learning, [and] enable your car to make money for you when you aren’t using it.” The name change now represents that social justice sustainability mission.
Tesla will release 4Q and ’16 full year financial result on February 22
Tesla has announced that on February 22, 2017, it will release Q4 2016 and full year 2016 financial results. First, Tesla will issue a brief advisory, which will include a link to the Q4 as well as a full year 2016 update letter. Each will be posted on the Tesla IR website. To accompany those data releases, the Tesla management will hold a live question and answer webcast that day, scheduled at this writing for 2:30 p.m. Pacific Time (5:30pm Eastern Time). Topics will include the company’s 2016 financial and business results and 2017+ outlook.
Tesla Model S crash test result misses top safety rating by IIHS
The Tesla Model S large luxury sedan earned good ratings in all Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) “crashworthiness evaluations” except one: the challenging small overlap front crash test. In that evaluation, it earned just an acceptable rating. Even through Tesla had lengthened the side curtain airbags to improve small Model S overlap protection, it confronted testing issues when the safety belt allowed the dummy’s torso to move too far forward. The results indicated that duplicated real-world injuries would be “possible.” The ratings for the Model S apply to 2016 and 2017 cars built after October 2016. Tesla did make a production change on Jan. 23, 2017 to address the head-contact problem, so IIHS has said they will test the updated vehicle for small overlap protection.
Tesla Gigafactory in Lithuania reimagined within Minecraft game
Tesla’s mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy requires production of lithium ion batteries to power their electric vehicles. The Tesla Gigafactory in Nevada began construction on November 4, 2014 and is expected to begin battery cell production by the end of this year. Even before that target production goal, however, Tesla is surveying European locations for a second Gigafactory. Lithuania would like to be chosen as that illustrious manufacturing site, so, to persuade Tesla it is the right fit, a team of Minecraft designers spent two days building a virtual model of Tesla’s Gigafactory. They envisioned Kruonis, Lithuania as the ideal spot for construction due to its “free economic zone, close to two international airports, within close radius of 1.3 million inhabitants.” Sustainable energy sources such as wind power were noted as a perk. Teams from several other European nations are also pitching their concepts to Tesla in the hopes that the next Gigafactory, with its associated job creation, will be in their neighborhoods.
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Tesla posts Optimus’ most impressive video demonstration yet
The humanoid robot was able to complete all the tasks through a single neural network.

When Elon Musk spoke with CNBC’s David Faber in an interview at Giga Texas, he reiterated the idea that Optimus will be one of Tesla’s biggest products. Seemingly to highlight the CEO’s point, the official Tesla Optimus account on social media platform X shared what could very well be the most impressive demonstration of the humanoid robot’s capabilities to date.
Optimus’ Newest Demonstration
In its recent video demonstration, the Tesla Optimus team featured the humanoid robot performing a variety of tasks. These include household chores such as throwing the trash, using a broom and a vacuum cleaner, tearing a paper towel, stirring a pot of food, opening a cabinet, and closing a curtain, among others. The video also featured Optimus picking up a Model X fore link and placing it on a dolly.
What was most notable in the Tesla Optimus team’s demonstration was the fact that the humanoid robot was able to complete all the tasks through a single neural network. The robot’s actions were also learned directly from Optimus being fed data from first-person videos of humans performing similar tasks. This system should pave the way for Optimus to learn and refine new skills quickly and reliably.
Tesla VP for Optimus Shares Insight
In a follow-up post on X, Tesla Vice President of Optimus (Tesla Bot) Milan Kovac stated that one of the team’s goals is to have Optimus learn straight from internet videos of humans performing tasks, including footage captured in third person or by random cameras.
“We recently had a significant breakthrough along that journey, and can now transfer a big chunk of the learning directly from human videos to the bots (1st person views for now). This allows us to bootstrap new tasks much faster compared to teleoperated bot data alone (heavier operationally).
“Many new skills are emerging through this process, are called for via natural language (voice/text), and are run by a single neural network on the bot (multi-tasking). Next: expand to 3rd person video transfer (aka random internet), and push reliability via self-play (RL) in the real-, and/or synthetic- (sim / world models) world,” Kovac wrote in his post on X.
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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.

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.
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.
News
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.

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.
“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.
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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