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Tesla’s V11 Software Update and Elon Musk’s ‘Yes’ Tweets

(PHOTO: AUSTIN SELLERS VIA YOUTUBE)

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Tesla has released its last three major software overhauls in September and October of 2016, 2018, and 2019 with the V8, V9, and V10 updates. With each of the new software editions, Tesla has added many new features and accessibility options to make for a more well-rounded ownership experience for drivers.

With Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirming several new features to its vehicles on Twitter, some have not yet made their way to V10 updates. This hints that they could be included in Tesla’s V11 Software Update, which was recently discussed in a video with owner-enthusiast and tech YouTuber Ben Sullins.

https://twitter.com/BenSullins/status/1318596916666511360

Sullins compiled a few examples of features that owners have requested, and Elon Musk has confirmed, but have not yet been added to the company’s vehicles. Because of this, Ben believes they could be added to Tesla’s V11 Software Update based on the timing that the previous three overhauls have been released to the public.

Vector-Space Bird’s Eye View

On October 3rd, Twitter account @TeslaOwnersSV requested that Tesla’s Driving Visualization be capable of a new “Birdseye view” feature that would give owners a perspective above their car. This would essentially give drivers a 360-degree view from above the vehicle, allowing for a full-scale indication of what surrounds their vehicle. Sullins mentions that this feature is available in the Porsche Taycan. Many Tesla owners would likely benefit from the addition of the view, simply because of the benefits of a wide-range perspective.

Enlarged Side Cameras for Backing Up

@ThatT3slaGuy requested that the side cameras could be enlarged while backing up, which could provide drivers with more confidence when in reverse. A single-camera setup, which only provides a view of what is directly behind the vehicle, can prove problematic in tight parking spaces where the driver’s point of view is limited. Musk confirmed that this feature would be “coming soon” on October 1st, but it has yet to be released.

GPS Waypoints

Musk has always been a firm believer in Tesla’s GPS. When owners repeatedly requested the addition of Waypoints, he denied it time and time again. However, on September 21st, Musk finally gave owners who have been seeking the feature a glimpse of hope when he said, “Fine, we’ll do it already,” after @Model3Owners asked one final time. The addition of GPS Waypoints will give owners full customization of which route they would like to take on a trip, making for the perfect road trip.

Blind Spot Warnings/Side Repeater View with Turn Signal

Another use of the Side Repeater Cameras could be used as a Blind Spot Warning feature. @AusTeslaOwners gave Musk the idea to have the Repeater Cameras show full-screen images of what is beside the vehicle when traveling. If the driver were to be on a highway and looking to move into a lane to their left, the left turn signal would be activated, and the left-side camera would also activate and be displayed on the dash screen.

Video Conferencing inside of a Tesla

This request was also made by @TeslaOwnersSV in May. The interior cabin-facing camera that is included in the Model 3 and Model Y would allow owners to set up video conferencing from inside the vehicle. Musk stated, “Yeah, definitely a future feature,” but it has also not been added yet. Sullins believes this could be another addition to V11.

Interior Camera Activation with Sentry Mode during a break-in

@Model3Owners also suggested that the interior camera be activated during a break-in. This feature makes a lot of sense, especially if a thief is successful during their attempt to enter a Tesla. It could make the pursuit of the criminal much easier for law enforcement.

Sullins’ full video on what is coming with Tesla’s V11 Software Update is available below. Be sure to subscribe to his YouTube channel, or follow him on Twitter @BenSullins.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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Elon Musk

County vote hands Elon Musk’s Vegas tunnel network a huge new target

Clark County approved 19 more Vegas Loop stations, pushing Boring Company’s entitled total to 123.

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The Boring Company just got permission to nearly double how far Vegas Loop can reach. Clark County commissioners approved 19 additional stations for the underground transit system, bringing the total entitled to 123, the company said in a post on X thanking the county for the vote. Elon Musk’s tunneling company also flagged the direction it sees the project heading long term. “Because Loop is point-to-point with no intermediate stops, in the limit, one could have a Loop station in every driveway,” the company wrote.

That framing captures how far the ambitions have moved. The Vegas Loop opened its first stretch of tunnel in 2021 and has grown its footprint through a string of county approvals since. In 2023, commissioners signed off on 18 additional stations, part of a plan that later doubled the system’s target to 69 stations across 65 miles. By the end of that year the company was describing a build out closer to 93 planned stations. Last year the long term design called for 104 stations across 68 miles of tunnel. The new approval pushes that number to 123, another jump in a project that keeps outgrowing its own blueprints.

The Boring Company gets approval for more stations in Las Vegas

Station count on paper is still well ahead of what riders can actually use. As Teslarati reported earlier this month, the network has about 11 open stations and has carried more than 4 million passengers since it began running, with newer stops at Fontainebleau and Sahara among the latest additions to the Strip corridor. A tunnel connection to Harry Reid International Airport remains under construction and has already slipped past its original first quarter target. The company is also racing to finish a Westgate to Paradise Road segment that Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Steve Hill has said it hopes to have running in time for November’s Formula 1 race.

The gap between entitled stations and operating ones is where the real story sits. Regulatory approval gives Boring Company the legal runway to keep tunneling toward new resorts, residential pockets and eventually the airport, but building each connection still comes down to boring machines, fire safety sign offs and construction timelines that have slipped before. The company’s Prufrock series machines set an internal record in March with a 2.28 mile tunnel near Westgate, evidence that construction has been picking up even as the list of approved destinations grows faster than the tunnels themselves.

Musk’s driveway comment reads as aspirational rather than a near term plan, but it fits how Boring Company has talked about Vegas Loop from the start: treat every approval as a floor, not a ceiling, and keep pushing county officials for room to dig.

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Elon Musk

SpaceX announces new Starbase for ‘thousands of Starship launches annually’

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Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX announced today that it would expand its launch capabilities into a new U.S. state: Louisiana.

Today, SpaceX, in conjunction with the Louisiana Economic Development Office, said that it will establish a new launch facility, which it will call Starbase, Louisiana. It will be located near Vermilion Parish, supporting thousands of launches each year, at least eventually.

CEO Elon Musk commented by stating, “Starbase Louisiana will ultimately have over a dozen launch towers, enabling more than 30 Starship flights per day and making it the biggest launch site on Earth!”

The expansion is SpaceX’s latest move to push its launch cadence to be more frequent than ever. SpaceX said that Starbase, Louisiana, will be built to “support thousands of Starship flights a year,” with the first coming in 2029.

SpaceX announced the new facility in partnership with the Louisiana Economic Development Office as it will bring a major influx of jobs and investments into the area. Currently, it will produce more than 3,000 new jobs in Louisiana, and SpaceX plans to invest at least $100 billion into the entire facility, ensuring that many jobs are created as a result.

Environmental Responsibility

SpaceX acknowledges the impact launches could have on marshlands, local wildlife, and water sources. Here’s how the company plans to help with the issues in Vermilion Parish:

  • Restoring the Shoreline: “In Vermilion Parish, the shoreline is eroding between 3.3 and 23 feet per year. We’re partnering with state and federal agencies to expand Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan and Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act projects, including Gulf shoreline protection breakwaters designed to reduce wave energy and slow loss along the Gulf edge.”
  • Rebuilding the Marshlands: “In working with the state, we’re planning thousands of acres of marsh creation using beneficial-use placement of dredged material and offshore sediment sources. Restoration will also include interior marsh bank stabilization and rebuilding marsh in remnant canals. These projects can reconnect fragmented wetlands, restore natural buffers against storms, and return habitat that has been lost to erosion and historic canalization.”
  • Preserving Coastal Wildlife: “Pecan Island and nearby wetlands are high-value habitat for migratory waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds, and other coastal wildlife. SpaceX is not developing the full footprint of the land and will preserve wetlands and wildlife habitat. At existing launch sites, waterfowl and other birds continue to use nearby habitat during operations. Working with wildlife agencies, landowners, and conservation groups, SpaceX will support monitoring and management so this habitat stays productive and hunting, fishing, birding, and other recreational activities that are part of this coast’s culture can continue.”

SpaceX shares rose about 2.5 percent on the news.

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Cybertruck

Tesla just made Cybertruck more expensive

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla Cybertruck trims saw a big price change, at least on two of the three available to consumers, as demand for the all-electric pickup appears to be increasing.

Tesla bumped up its Base All-Wheel-Drive trim level up to $74,990 from $69,990 and the Premium All-Wheel-Drive configuration from $79,990 to $84,990. The Cyberbeast price remains unchanged at $99,990.

Despite questions of demand for the truck, Tesla is bumping its two least expensive trims up $5,000 to signal that there are plenty of buyers. Although SpaceX has been buying Tesla Cybertruck units to utilize as company vehicles, it is no secret that the Cybertruck is among the most sought-after Tesla models out there.

The issue has always been pricing, at least for the most part. When Tesla initially launched the Cybertruck AWD at $59,990 a few months back, the company stated that price would remain intact for just ten days due to the influx of orders it received.

Cybertruck Sales: Is It the Product or Pricing?

Depending on who you ask, you will likely hear one of two explanations for relatively low Cybertruck sales: either the product itself or the pricing.

Yes, this is the best-selling all-electric pickup on the market. However, there are people who simply hate the look of it, which I understand, but do not agree with. Look is totally subjective, and I love the look of the Cybertruck.

Some people will not buy the Cybertruck because of the look, but I am under the impression that sales would be much better if this truck were priced lower; something that might not be possible considering Tesla’s need to make money on its products. When it was unveiled in 2019, its most expensive trim level was $69,990. Now, the cheapest trim level is more expensive than that.

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I would be in a Cybertruck if it were more affordable. I LOVE my Model Y, but Cybertruck is the best vehicle Tesla makes, and it’s not particularly close. Even in the base model, the steer-by-wire, the space, storage, and performance make it more desirable than the Model Y to me. I cannot be the only Tesla owner without a Cybertruck who feels this way.

If you’re interested in buying a Tesla vehicle, use my referral link.

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