News
The MINI Aceman is both classic MINI and a new approach
MINI has released the first images and videos of their new Aceman concept EV and it marks a significant shift in design while retaining typical “mini-ness.” The vehicle may also be a departure from MINI’s first EV offering in terms of affordability.
As a note, I am a proud MINI owner. I drive a 2011 MINI Countryman S All4 and despite its flaws, I love what I can only describe as its “mini-ness,” and I’m not talking about the vehicle’s relatively small stature. “Mini-ness” is that intangible feeling that makes you think, “Why did they make this [insert part name] this way? And more concerningly, why do I like it?!” I am proud to say that from the initial images of the concept MINI Aceman, mini-ness is alive and well.
If released, the Aceman would be the brand’s second EV offering after the Cooper SE; however, though this hasn’t been confirmed, it would be likely that this would be the brand’s first purpose-built EV (perhaps built off the BMW iX platform) instead of an EV inside of the skeleton of an ICE mini. But this is only the start of the mystery surrounding the vehicle, as MINI was quite tight-lipped in what they shared about the vehicle, essentially only addressing the vehicle’s design and how it was “the beginning of a new MINI design era.”
While this vehicle is only a concept at this point, it does (according to mini) hint at future design. The MINI notably ditches leather and chrome and aims for a simple yet angular design. The exterior of the vehicle is quite exciting with a bright light blue body, a green hood, and red accents. The vehicle looks to be the size of the Countryman, if not a little bigger, but this may be the visual effect of the massive 20-inch wheels. The angularity of the exterior is exemplified in the hexagonal headlights/typical union jack taillights, as well as the hood that has (atypical for MINI) strong creases leading to the back of the vehicle. Nonetheless, the more general curviness of MINI design language remains in a couple of areas; the side and side profile.
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- Front of Mini Aceman Concept. Credit: Mini
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- Top view of Mini Aceman Concept. Credit: Mini
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- Side profile of Mini Aceman Concept. Credit: Mini
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- Rear quarter of Mini Aceman Concept. Credit: Mini
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- Rear of Mini Aceman Concept. Credit: Mini
The sharp design language continues to the interior, and this is where pinnacle mini-ness is found. What the brand calls “MINImalism” involves removing nearly everything from the front dash; limited and basic climate controls, no visible window switches, no steering column-mounted tachometer, and nothing but the center screen. And while this may sound similar to Tesla’s interior design language, I would argue that the lack of window switches and the circular center screen help achieve the mini-ness feeling.
The fun coloring also continues within the cabin of the Aceman, but that wasn’t weird enough for MINI designers, they had to throw random geometric shapes on the seats and within the texture of the door panels/interior door handles. Once again; why did they design it this way? and why do I like it?!?!
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- Front dash of Mini Aceman Concept. Credit: Mini
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- Front seats of Mini Aceman Concept. Credit: Mini
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- Rear seats of Mini Aceman Concept. Credit: Mini
While the strange MINI character is still very alive in the Aceman concept, many are worried that the thing that defined the Cooper SE may be gone from future MINI EVs; affordability. The Cooper SE was one of the cheapest EVs you could buy in the US, and despite its fairly disappointing specs, it grew its own community of people who were simply looking for a shorter-range fun EV. MINI will likely release more details about the vehicle when it is shown in person at the 2022 Gamescon in Cologne later this year, and be sure, the price will be on the tongue of every journalist who is hopeful for an EV future for MINI.
What do you think of the article? Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Shoot me an email at william@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @WilliamWritin. If you have news tips, email us at tips@teslarati.com!
Elon Musk
Starlink passes 9 million active customers just weeks after hitting 8 million
The milestone highlights the accelerating growth of Starlink, which has now been adding over 20,000 new users per day.
SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service has continued its rapid global expansion, surpassing 9 million active customers just weeks after crossing the 8 million mark.
The milestone highlights the accelerating growth of Starlink, which has now been adding over 20,000 new users per day.
9 million customers
In a post on X, SpaceX stated that Starlink now serves over 9 million active users across 155 countries, territories, and markets. The company reached 8 million customers in early November, meaning it added roughly 1 million subscribers in under seven weeks, or about 21,275 new users on average per day.
“Starlink is connecting more than 9M active customers with high-speed internet across 155 countries, territories, and many other markets,” Starlink wrote in a post on its official X account. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell also celebrated the milestone on X. “A huge thank you to all of our customers and congrats to the Starlink team for such an incredible product,” she wrote.
That growth rate reflects both rising demand for broadband in underserved regions and Starlink’s expanding satellite constellation, which now includes more than 9,000 low-Earth-orbit satellites designed to deliver high-speed, low-latency internet worldwide.
Starlink’s momentum
Starlink’s momentum has been building up. SpaceX reported 4.6 million Starlink customers in December 2024, followed by 7 million by August 2025, and 8 million customers in November. Independent data also suggests Starlink usage is rising sharply, with Cloudflare reporting that global web traffic from Starlink users more than doubled in 2025, as noted in an Insider report.
Starlink’s momentum is increasingly tied to SpaceX’s broader financial outlook. Elon Musk has said the satellite network is “by far” the company’s largest revenue driver, and reports suggest SpaceX may be positioning itself for an initial public offering as soon as next year, with valuations estimated as high as $1.5 trillion. Musk has also suggested in the past that Starlink could have its own IPO in the future.
News
NVIDIA Director of Robotics: Tesla FSD v14 is the first AI to pass the “Physical Turing Test”
After testing FSD v14, Fan stated that his experience with FSD felt magical at first, but it soon started to feel like a routine.
NVIDIA Director of Robotics Jim Fan has praised Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) v14 as the first AI to pass what he described as a “Physical Turing Test.”
After testing FSD v14, Fan stated that his experience with FSD felt magical at first, but it soon started to feel like a routine. And just like smartphones today, removing it now would “actively hurt.”
Jim Fan’s hands-on FSD v14 impressions
Fan, a leading researcher in embodied AI who is currently solving Physical AI at NVIDIA and spearheading the company’s Project GR00T initiative, noted that he actually was late to the Tesla game. He was, however, one of the first to try out FSD v14.
“I was very late to own a Tesla but among the earliest to try out FSD v14. It’s perhaps the first time I experience an AI that passes the Physical Turing Test: after a long day at work, you press a button, lay back, and couldn’t tell if a neural net or a human drove you home,” Fan wrote in a post on X.
Fan added: “Despite knowing exactly how robot learning works, I still find it magical watching the steering wheel turn by itself. First it feels surreal, next it becomes routine. Then, like the smartphone, taking it away actively hurts. This is how humanity gets rewired and glued to god-like technologies.”
The Physical Turing Test
The original Turing Test was conceived by Alan Turing in 1950, and it was aimed at determining if a machine could exhibit behavior that is equivalent to or indistinguishable from a human. By focusing on text-based conversations, the original Turing Test set a high bar for natural language processing and machine learning.
This test has been passed by today’s large language models. However, the capability to converse in a humanlike manner is a completely different challenge from performing real-world problem-solving or physical interactions. Thus, Fan introduced the Physical Turing Test, which challenges AI systems to demonstrate intelligence through physical actions.
Based on Fan’s comments, Tesla has demonstrated these intelligent physical actions with FSD v14. Elon Musk agreed with the NVIDIA executive, stating in a post on X that with FSD v14, “you can sense the sentience maturing.” Musk also praised Tesla AI, calling it the best “real-world AI” today.
News
Tesla AI team burns the Christmas midnight oil by releasing FSD v14.2.2.1
The update was released just a day after FSD v14.2.2 started rolling out to customers.
Tesla is burning the midnight oil this Christmas, with the Tesla AI team quietly rolling out Full Self-Driving (Supervised) v14.2.2.1 just a day after FSD v14.2.2 started rolling out to customers.
Tesla owner shares insights on FSD v14.2.2.1
Longtime Tesla owner and FSD tester @BLKMDL3 shared some insights following several drives with FSD v14.2.2.1 in rainy Los Angeles conditions with standing water and faded lane lines. He reported zero steering hesitation or stutter, confident lane changes, and maneuvers executed with precision that evoked the performance of Tesla’s driverless Robotaxis in Austin.
Parking performance impressed, with most spots nailed perfectly, including tight, sharp turns, in single attempts without shaky steering. One minor offset happened only due to another vehicle that was parked over the line, which FSD accommodated by a few extra inches. In rain that typically erases road markings, FSD visualized lanes and turn lines better than humans, positioning itself flawlessly when entering new streets as well.
“Took it up a dark, wet, and twisty canyon road up and down the hill tonight and it went very well as to be expected. Stayed centered in the lane, kept speed well and gives a confidence inspiring steering feel where it handles these curvy roads better than the majority of human drivers,” the Tesla owner wrote in a post on X.
Tesla’s FSD v14.2.2 update
Just a day before FSD v14.2.2.1’s release, Tesla rolled out FSD v14.2.2, which was focused on smoother real-world performance, better obstacle awareness, and precise end-of-trip routing. According to the update’s release notes, FSD v14.2.2 upgrades the vision encoder neural network with higher resolution features, enhancing detection of emergency vehicles, road obstacles, and human gestures.
New Arrival Options also allowed users to select preferred drop-off styles, such as Parking Lot, Street, Driveway, Parking Garage, or Curbside, with the navigation pin automatically adjusting to the ideal spot. Other refinements include pulling over for emergency vehicles, real-time vision-based detours for blocked roads, improved gate and debris handling, and Speed Profiles for customized driving styles.
Starlink passes 9 million active customers just weeks after hitting 8 million
NVIDIA Director of Robotics: Tesla FSD v14 is the first AI to pass the “Physical Turing Test”
