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VW Works Council Chair talks Herbert Diess and Tesla’s growing influence on German auto

(Credit: Volkswagen)

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Tesla is not yet producing electric vehicles at Gigafactory Berlin, but the EV maker’s presence is already being felt in Germany’s auto sector. According to sociologist Andreas Boes, director of the Munich Institute for Social Science Research (ISF), Tesla has practically become the “elephant in the room” during interviews with managers and experts from Germany’s auto industry. 

The sociologist looked into Tesla’s effects on the country’s auto industry on behalf of IG Metall, one of Germany’s most notable unions. During the Hannover Messe, Boes noted that the auto industry as the world knows it today would likely not exist in ten years due to changes being brought upon the segment. And Tesla, with its all-electric cars and unorthodox approach to car-making, is serving as the harbinger of change in the country’s auto sector. 

This change is already being embraced by some notable automakers, among them Volkswagen. Led by executives such as Herbert Diess, who has seen direct support from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Volkswagen has dedicated a good part of its resources to its shift towards electromobility. As per a report from Welt, Diess regularly uses the competition from Tesla to put pressure on Volkswagen’s employees, and to help push the massive, legacy automaker towards the direction of sustainability.  

This strategy, however, has not sat well with the Chairman of the Volkswagen Group Works Council. In a statement to German media, Bernd Osterloh, the Works Council Chair noted that he disagrees with Diess’ optimism about Tesla. “I think the hype is an overstatement of Tesla’s actual situation,” Osterloh said. He also remarked that when it comes to things like the chassis, Volkswagen is simply better than the American EV maker.

Osterloh also spoke about Tesla’s lead in the EV sector. “Where Tesla is ahead of us at the moment – and the Volkswagen board doesn’t like that – is their own expertise within the company. They build their own chips and make their own software. We buy all that in,” the VW Works Council exec said

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Not all of Germany’s unions have taken a rather cold stance on Tesla. Thorsten Gröger, district manager of the Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt trade union, noted that it is a positive sign when a company like Tesla settles in an area like Brandenburg. “Co-determination, collectively agreed working conditions make companies more innovative and more successful. I would advise Mr. Musk to recognize that,” Gröger said. 

Regardless of how Tesla is perceived among Germany’s auto veterans, the country’s shift to electric mobility has begun nonetheless. Apart from Volkswagen’s development and release of its ID line of vehicles, Daimler is also poised to present its long-awaited flagship all-electric sedan, the EQS, later this week. The vehicle, which would be priced at a premium and will likely compete with upcoming cars like the Model S Plaid and the Lucid Air, would be a key vehicle for Daimler’s immediate future. “We are at the forefront of movement with the vehicle… We are in the process of defining a segment,” Christoph Starzynski, Head of Electric Vehicle Architecture at Mercedes-Benz said. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us for news tips. Just send a message to tips@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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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Tesla’s NHTSA probe is already on its way to being resolved

The problem the NHTSA had with Tesla’s reporting is already on its way to being resolved, as the agency and the company have been in communication.

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tesla showroom
Credit: Tesla

Tesla is being probed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for not reporting accidents in a timely manner, the agency said on Thursday.

It is already well on its way to being resolved, the agency said.

The agency’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) identified numerous instances in which Tesla reported crashes that “occurred several months or more before the dates of the reports.”

The Standing General Order in place by the agency requires crash reports to be submitted within five days of Tesla receiving the notice of an accident.

The investigation states Tesla submitted crashes in one of two ways:

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“Many of the reports were submitted as part of a single batch, while others were submitted on a rolling basis.”

The problem the NHTSA had with Tesla’s reporting is already on its way to being resolved, as the agency and the company have been in communication.

Tesla has already been in contact with the agency’s ODI and stated that the timing of the reports was an issue with its data collection. The issue has been resolved, Tesla told them.

The NHTSA said the initiation of the probe against Tesla is a “standard process for reviewing compliance with legal requirements, to evaluate the cause of potential delays in reporting, the scope of any such delays, and the mitigations that Tesla has developed to address them.”

It is the latest NHTSA probe into Tesla, as it has also been investigating the company for accidents during Full Self-Driving operation in reduced visibility conditions.

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The agency also sought information on the rollout of Robotaxi a few months ago, and how Tesla planned to handle low-visibility conditions in its driverless ride-hailing service.

The NHTSA was interested in knowing how Tesla planned to assess the ability of FSD’s engineering controls, whether any other similar FSD crashes had occurred in low visibility, and if modifications to FSD software would impact its performance in these conditions.

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Tesla rolls out minor but significant improvement to Robotaxi service

As per Tesla, Robotaxis will now arrive at their pickup locations with their doors locked.

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Credit: @AdanGuajardo/X

Tesla has rolled out a minor but significant improvement to its Robotaxi service. The update was shared by the Tesla community on social media platforms such as X. 

New Robotaxi App update

As observed by the electric vehicle community on social media, Tesla has started rolling out the Robotaxi App’s Version 25.8.5 (6074) to users. The update seems to be quite minor, though Tesla mentioned something quite notable the update’s “What to Test” section.

As per Tesla, Robotaxis will now arrive at their pickup locations with their doors locked. Customers would not need to unlock the Robotaxis manually, however, as the vehicles would automatically unlock as they approach the car. “You ride now arrives locked and will automatically unlock as you walk up. Just ensure your app has Bluetooth access enabled,” Tesla wrote.

While this update is minor, it does improve the safety of the vehicles themselves. It also provides another layer of convenience for users of the driverless ride-hailing service. The fact that Tesla is already refining the Robotaxi App’s features this early bodes well for the program. It suggests, if any, that the service will already be fairly refined when it starts being opened to more users.

Robotaxi praised for its safety

Tesla is following a deliberate and cautious rollout strategy for its Robotaxi rollout, though early reviews of the system have been quite positive. Some reviewers have also dubbed Tesla’s Robotaxi service as a safer alternative to more conventional ride-hailing services such as Uber.

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This was highlighted by auto reviewer Scotty Reiss in a post on A Girl’s Guide to Cars.

“I like the personal safety factor. No driver to threaten or harass you. You control the locking and unlocking of the car. You can change the pickup location at any time. The car will wait for you. You can call the support desk if you need help. You can change your destination if the drop-off area seems sketchy. All of it together makes me feel safer getting a car home from the airport at midnight or into the city after dark, and I definitely feel safer having my daughters take a self-driving rideshare when they go out to meet friends for dinner,” Reiss wrote in her post.

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Tesla China VP confirms Model Y L first deliveries in September

The first deliveries of the extended wheelbase all-electric family car are expected to start in just a few weeks.

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Credit: Tesla China

Tesla China Vice President Grace Tao has subtly confirmed the recently released Model Y L’s first deliveries. As per the executive, the first deliveries of the extended wheelbase all-electric family car are expected to start in just a few weeks.

Model Y L estimated delivery date

While the standard Tesla Model Y Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) and All Wheel Drive (AWD) are listed with an estimated delivery date of 1-3 weeks, the electric vehicle maker simply listed the Model Y L with an estimated delivery date of “September 2025.” This date was reiterated by VP Grace Tao in a post on Weibo. 

“Prospective Model Y L owners are welcome to post their orders in the comment section. This Sunday, August 24th, at midnight, 10 friends will be drawn to receive Tesla peripherals… Tesla cars are fun to drive alone, whether you have children or how many children, this car can meet all your needs. We will deliver in September and wait for you to get in the car,” Tao wrote.

Model Y delivery speculations

While Grace Tao’s Weibo post confirmed that the Model Y L’s first customer deliveries will indeed be held within September, some industry watchers have estimated that the extended wheelbase vehicle will start deliveries in about three weeks. This suggests that the first Model Y L customer deliveries could start around September 11 in China. This date would be quite impressive considering that the vehicle was released just a few days ago.

The Tesla Model Y has so far been a hit among followers of the company, so much so that fans in countries like the United States have expressed their intention to purchase the vehicle, which starts at just RMB 339,000 ($47,180). Unfortunately, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has stated that the Model Y L will not start production in the United States until the end of 2026. He also noted that the vehicle might not ever make it to the U.S., due to the advent of self-driving cars in the country.

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