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Watch Tesla’s FSD v13.2 navigate away from park in a tricky situation

Credit: Whole Mars Catalog | YouTube

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Tesla’s latest version of Supervised Full Self-Driving (FSD) has begun going out to owners over the last several days, and a number of early testers have been sharing results from their first drives.

On Saturday, Tesla reposted a video from Whole Mars Catalog on X, in which Omar uses FSD Supervised v13.2 to successfully reverse out of tight street parking blocked by a UPS truck and cautiously navigate around the truck to make its way onto the street. Omar says he didn’t expect the FSD model to successfully make it to the street with the delivery truck in the way, though the video shows that it pretty clearly was able to—and it managed to watch for an oncoming Waymo truck that’s difficult to see.

In a repost of the video, Tesla writes:

FSD Supervised 13.2 reverses to exit parking spot blocked by delivery truck, then waits for oncoming traffic to clear before proceeding

This all happens implicitly within the model, which is trained on extensive data of similar real-world scenarios

Tesla’s FSD v13.2: park-to-park

Notably, Tesla’s newest FSD Supervised update allows the software’s “end-to-end” model take drivers from “park-to-park,” as was recently highlighted by Arek Sredzki, member of the Autopilot team and head of the Actually Smart Summon (ASS) program. The release notes also point out that v13.2 includes integrated unpark, reverse, and park capabilities to allow this, along with highlighting the “hold-to-start” button to navigate from Park.

You can also see a video of Omar’s drive through 100 minutes of Los Angeles traffic below, as completed with zero interventions.

Tesla’s bet on a future of unsupervised autonomy with Cybercab, Robovan

While Tesla’s FSD currently requires driver supervision and readiness to retake control of the vehicle at all times, the company is also generating real-time driving data from which to train its vehicles’ neural network. As such, the company claims to have an advantage over other companies, like Google’s Waymo, and it’s betting big on the scalability of a future of autonomy with FSD.

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When Tesla’s FSD will go unsupervised is certainly up for debate, but the company’s recent unveiling of the steering wheel-less, two-seat Cybercab shows that it expects it to come sometime. Tesla also rolled FSD Supervised out to the Cybertruck for the first time a few months ago, and recent tests run by the company seem to hint at a future release of the semi-autonomous software for the Semi.

What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

Tesla highlights FSD safety in edge case test videos

Zach is a renewable energy reporter who has been covering electric vehicles since 2020. He grew up in Fremont, California, and he currently lives in Colorado. His work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, KRON4 San Francisco, FOX31 Denver, InsideEVs, CleanTechnica, and many other publications. When he isn't covering Tesla or other EV companies, you can find him writing and performing music, drinking a good cup of coffee, or hanging out with his cats, Banks and Freddie. Reach out at zach@teslarati.com, find him on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

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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.

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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Energy

Tesla Semi factory is getting a celebration nobody expected

Tesla will inaugurate its Nevada Semi factory September 24, five months after production quietly began ramping.

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Tesla says it will officially inaugurate its new Semi factory in Nevada next month. The Tesla Semi account posted the announcement on X, sharing a graphic titled “Semi Rollout” with a date of September 24. No further details were given about the format of the event or who would attend.

While Tesla’s dedicated Semi plant in Sparks, adjacent to Gigafactory Nevada, opened back in April, with the first trucks rolling off the high volume line on April 29, the timing for the factory inauguration comes at a surprise. The ribbon cutting event five months into production is a break from how Tesla has usually handled its other factories, where the first truck or car off the line typically served as the milestone moment.

The 1.7 million square foot factory was built as part of a $3.6 billion expansion Tesla announced in early 2023, and it shares a site with the battery cell lines that feed the Semi’s structural pack, a decision meant to remove the supply bottleneck that delayed the truck for years. The plant is designed for 50,000 trucks a year at full ramp. Semi program director Dan Priestley has said production “is now ramping” rather than claiming it has reached scale.

Nine years passed between the Semi’s 2017 unveiling and this stage of production, with the truck slipping from an original 2019 target through hand built pilot units for PepsiCo and a slow build out of the Nevada plant. An inauguration event now gives Tesla a stage to talk up that ramp and reset expectations for how many trucks it can begin delivering at scale.

The September date also lines up with the Semi’s next milestone. Tesla confirmed the truck is heading to Europe with a full unveiling at the IAA Transportation trade show in Hannover, Germany, running September 15 through 20. Between the Nevada event and the Hannover reveal, Tesla has roughly a week and a half in September to make the case that the Semi is now a truck being built and sold on two continents rather than tested in a handful of fleets.

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