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Tesla’s in-house Full Self-Driving chip puts TSLA 4 years ahead of competition: analyst

Elon Musk at Tesla's Autonomy Day FSD presentation. | Image: Tesla

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Tesla’s decision to develop its Full Self-Driving (FSD) computer chip in-house has put it four years ahead of the competition, according to ARK Invest analyst James Wang.

Wang laid out the case for the all-electric car maker’s custom automotive-grade computer against the next-best options in the market, all Nvidia products, in an article on ARK Invest’s website. His stated goal in the piece was to clarify Tesla’s position and achievement with full self-driving in simple terms as well as explain why an off-the-shelf chip would not have accomplished the same feat.

Admittedly, Tesla’s Autonomy Day livestream debuting the arrival of its Full Self-Driving computer was chock full of very technical details that many outside the computer science world indicated were difficult to follow. Thus, Wang’s FSD simplification is helpful for gaining insight into Tesla’s autonomous driving progress in terms of the bigger industry picture.

In summary, by focusing only on what its particular needs were for its particular software demands, Tesla was was able to improve its chip’s performance efficiency to a level that has allowed it to “leapfrog” over competitors. Wang predicts that by 2021, Tesla will be ready to release its next generation FSD computer while its closest competitor in terms of optimal peak utilization is just coming to market.

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Nvidia is a prominent and highly successful leader in computer chip design, and Tesla already uses its products for Hardware 2.5, the computer currently running the electric car maker’s Autopilot features. That said, the industry giant has three self-driving-focused chips in its lineup: Xavier (in production), Pegasus (readying for production) and Orin (still pending an official announcement).

Pegasus is a Level 5 self-driving computer, as is Tesla’s FSD; however, it has twice as many chips as FSD, consumes seven times more power than FSD, and is too big and expensive for the Model 3. Since Nvidia designs chips for a wide range of hardware manufacturers, much like the Windows and Android operating systems are designed to be flexible enough for different computer and smartphone hardware suites, their functionality cannot be overly streamlined for one system over another. In contrast, Tesla (like Apple hardware/software) can focus all of its autonomy efforts on its specific hardware and software needs, thus achieving a greater output than Nvidia’s product.

Tesla’s Full Self-Driving computer. | Image: Tesla

In a follow up to Tesla’s Autonomy Day presentation wherein FSD was compared to Nvidia’s Xavier computer, a chip designed for semi-autonomous driving only, the chip manufacturer published a company blog piece drawing attention to Pegasus’ capabilities as a better measure for analysis. As pointed out in Wang’s analysis, the FSD and Pegasus still do not achieve the same metrics, leaving Tesla well positioned amongst its self-driving computer peers. Despite the issue, though, Nvidia’s conclusion was a positive response to the car maker’s achievement: Tesla has raised the bar on self-driving and other car manufacturers need to get on board before falling too far behind.

During the Autonomy Day presentation, Tesla CEO Elon Musk crowned FSD as “objectively best in the world”, and James Wang’s analysis is yet another outline of why that is arguably the case. Tesla’s Full Self-Driving Computer (formerly known as Hardware 3) is currently being installed in all new production vehicles, and owners who purchased Full Self-Driving for a car produced in 2016 or later will receive a free upgrade to the FSD computer in the near future. Musk has further predicted that Tesla’s full self-driving software will be complete by the end of this year and fully operational by the second quarter of next year.

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Accidental computer geek, fascinated by most history and the multiplanetary future on its way. Quite keen on the democratization of space. | It's pronounced day-sha, but I answer to almost any variation thereof.

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Tesla opens Supercharging Network to other EVs in new country

Tesla’s Supercharging infrastructure is the most robust in the world, and it has done a wonderful job of keeping things up and running for the millions of owners out there. As it expanded access to non-Tesla EVs a couple years back, it has still managed to keep things pretty steady, although the need for more charging is apparent.

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Kia EV6, EV9 and Niro Owners Gain Access to Over 21,500 Tesla Superchargers

Tesla has started opening its Supercharging Network, which is the most expansive in the world, to other EVs in a new country for the first time.

After expanding its Supercharging offerings to other car companies in the United States a few years ago, Tesla is still making the move in other markets, as it aims to make EV ownership easier for everyone, regardless of what manufacturer a consumer chose to purchase from.

Tesla’s Supercharging infrastructure is the most robust in the world, and it has done a wonderful job of keeping things up and running for the millions of owners out there. As it expanded access to non-Tesla EVs a couple years back, it has still managed to keep things pretty steady, although the need for more charging is apparent.

Now, Tesla is expanding access to the Supercharger Network to non-Tesla EVs in Malaysia. The automaker just opened up a charging stie at the Pavilion KL Mall in Kuala Lumpur to non-Tesla owners, giving them eight additional Superchargers to utilize with a charging speed of up to 250 kW.

Tesla is also opening up the four-Supercharger site in Shah Alam, a four-Supercharger site at the IOI City Mall, and a six-Supercharger site in Gamuda Cove Township.

Electrive first reported the opening of these Superchargers in Malaysia.

The initiative from Tesla helps make EV ownership much simpler for those who only have access to third-party charging solutions or at-home charging. While at-home charging is the most advantageous, it is not an end-all solution as every driver will eventually need to grab some range on the road.

Tesla has been offering its Superchargers to non-Tesla EVs in the United States since 2024, as Ford became the first company to gain access to the massive network early that year when CEO Elon Musk and Ford frontman Jim Farley announced it together. Since then, Tesla has offered its chargers to nearly every EV maker, as companies like Rivian and Lucid, and even legacy car companies like General Motors have gained access.

It’s best for everyone to have the ability to use Tesla Superchargers, but there are of course some growing pains.

Charging cables are built to cater to Tesla owners, so pull-in Superchargers are most advantageous for non-Tesla EVs currently, but the company’s V4 Superchargers, which are not as plentiful in the U.S. quite yet, do enable easier reach for those vehicles.

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Tesla Semi expands pilot program to Texas logistics firm: here’s what they said

Mone said the Tesla Semi it put into its fleet for this test recorded 1.64 kWh per mile efficiency, beating Tesla’s official 1.7 kWh per mile target and delivering a massive leap over conventional diesel trucks.

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Credit: Mone Transport

Tesla has expanded its Semi pilot program to a new region, as it has made it to Texas to be tested by logistics from Mone Transport. With the Semi entering production this year, Tesla is getting even more valuable data regarding the vehicle and its efficiency, which will help companies cut expenditures.

Mone Transport operates in Texas and on the Southern border, and it specializes in cross-border U.S.-Mexico freight operations. After completing some rigorous testing, Mone shared public results, which stand out when compared to efficiency metrics offered by diesel vehicles.

“Mone Transport recently had the opportunity to put the Tesla Semi to the test, and we’re thrilled with the results! Over 4,700 miles of operations at 1.64 kWh/mile in our Texas operation. We’re committed to providing zero-emission transportation to our customers!” the company said in a post on X.

Mone said the Tesla Semi it put into its fleet for this test recorded 1.64 kWh per mile efficiency, beating Tesla’s official 1.7 kWh per mile target and delivering a massive leap over conventional diesel trucks.

Comparable Class 8 diesel semis, typically achieving 6-7 miles per gallon, consume roughly 5.5 kWh per mile in energy-equivalent terms, meaning the Semi uses three to four times less energy while also producing zero tailpipe emissions.

Tesla Semi undergoes major redesign as dedicated factory preps for deliveries

The performance of the Tesla Semi in Mone Transport’s testing aligns with data from other participants in the pilot program. ArcBest’s ABF Freight Division logged 4,494 miles over three weeks in 2025, averaging 1.55 kWh per mile across varied routes, including a grueling 7,200-foot Donner Pass climb. The truck “generally matched the performance of its diesel counterparts,” the carrier said.

PepsiCo, which operates the largest known Semi fleet, recorded 1.7 kWh per mile in North American Council for Freight Efficiency testing. Additional pilots showed similar gains: DHL hit 1.72 kWh per mile, and Saia achieved 1.73 kWh per mile.

These metrics underscore the Semi’s ability to slash operating costs through superior efficiency, lower maintenance, and zero-emission operation. As charging infrastructure scales and production ramps toward 2026 targets, participants like Mone Transport are proving electric semis can seamlessly integrate into freight networks, accelerating the industry’s shift to sustainable, high-performance trucking.

Tesla continues to prep for a more widespread presence of the Semi in the coming months as it recently launched the first public Semi Megacharger site in Los Angeles. It is working on building out infrastructure for regional runs on the West Coast initially, with plans to expand this to the other end of the country in the coming years.

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SpaceX weighs Nasdaq listing as company explores early index entry: report

The company is reportedly seeking early inclusion in the Nasdaq-100 index.

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Credit: SpaceX/X

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is reportedly leaning toward listing its shares on the Nasdaq for a potential initial public offering (IPO) that could become the largest in history. 

As per a recent report, the company is reportedly seeking early inclusion in the Nasdaq-100 index. The update was reported by Reuters, citing people familiar with the matter.

According to the publication, SpaceX is considering Nasdaq as the venue for its eventual IPO, though the New York Stock Exchange is also competing for the listing. Neither exchange has reportedly been informed of a final decision.

Reuters has previously reported that SpaceX could pursue an IPO as early as June, though the company’s plans could still change.

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One of the publication’s sources also suggested that SpaceX is targeting a valuation of about $1.75 trillion for its IPO. At that level, the company would rank among the largest publicly traded firms in the United States by market capitalization.

Nasdaq has proposed a rule change that could accelerate the inclusion of newly listed megacap companies into the Nasdaq-100 index.

Under the proposed “Fast Entry” rule, a newly listed company could qualify for the index in less than a month if its market capitalization ranks among the top 40 companies already included in the Nasdaq-100.

If SpaceX is successful in achieving its target valuation of $1.75 trillion, it would become the sixth-largest company by market value in the United States, at least based on recent share prices. 

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Newly listed companies typically have to wait up to a year before becoming eligible for major indexes such as the Nasdaq-100 or S&P 500.

Inclusion in a major index can significantly broaden a company’s shareholder base because many institutional investors purchase shares through index-tracking funds.

According to Reuters, Nasdaq’s proposed fast-track rule is partly intended to attract highly valued private companies such as SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic to list on the exchange.

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