As cryptocurrency enters the mainstream and demand for the digital assets increases, society is increasingly forced to reckon with its dark side: the fossil fuels used to mine Bitcoin and others like it. That issue is behind Elon Musk's announcement that Tesla has dropped support for Bitcoin as a payment option.
One common irritation for car shoppers in the automotive world is price increases with each new model year. Typically, those price increases only happen with the introduction of new year models of cars, but sometimes prices go up during the model year. Recently Tesla has increased the price of its Model 3 and Model Y electric vehicles twice over the last month or so.
Tesla is on the cusp of launching a subscription program for its Full Self-Driving add-on but recent events may throw doubt and concern regarding the rather pricey semi-autonomous driver assistance. It also probably explains why the company and its CEO are working overtime to dispel those doubts and divert attention elsewhere, like on the media. A recent crash in Texas involving one of Tesla's Model S cars cost the lives of two men but not only is the company insisting there was someone on the driver's seat, it also says that Autopilot wasn't even engaged.
Tesla has released its Q1 2021 financial report, boasting the first time in the company's history that its non-GAAP net income exceeded $1 billion. In addition to detailing its vehicle and revenue numbers, Tesla touched on a number of current efforts at the company, including its Full Self Driving (FSD) City Streets beta set to expand in the US.
Tesla was recently in the news after an accident occurred in Texas where two men were killed. The two men were in a 2019 Model S using Autopilot, allegedly with no one behind the steering wheel. The car veered off the road, hit a tree, and burst into flames, killing both occupants. In the wake of that accident, engineers from Consumer Reports have shown how easy it is to defeat Tesla's monitoring system.
Fully autonomous or self-driving cars are both a dream and a nightmare. The stuff of science fiction still has a long way before becoming reality, especially with practical and legal hurdles that carmakers like Tesla have to overcome. Technologies like its Autopilot and upcoming FSD, short for Full Self-Driving, are meant to reduce vehicular accidents that are mostly due to human error. Unfortunately, as the most recent fatal crash demonstrates, it might not be enough to save humans from themselves.
Kids and adults worldwide collect small cars made by companies like Hot Wheels and Matchbox. Matchbox cars are taking a page from the green manuals of real automakers and is going green. Matchbox says it is moving to use either recycled or recyclable materials in its toys and packaging by 2030.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has talked about Apple car rumors, augmented reality, and the electric vehicle segment and his contact - or lack of - with Tesla's Elon Musk, amid speculation by analysts that the Cupertino firm is readying a handful of ambitious launches into new categories over the next few years. Though Cook is, as always, tight-lipped about details and exact product plans, it's clear that Apple isn't interested in a low-key role in either AR or autonomous driving.
Few things make the typical person more angry than being charged twice for something they purchase. It's bad enough when the double charged purchase adds up to a few hundred dollars. Imagine being double charged for a vehicle purchase to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars.
Tesla's new Model S and Model X cabins proved to be controversial when the EV-maker revealed its refresh earlier this year, and a new video showing how one of the most unusual changes will work is unlikely to settle those arguments. As well as the distinctive "yoke" steering wheel in Elon Musk's new sedan and SUV, the two EVs also do away with a traditional transmission selector.
Tesla has begun accepting bitcoin for new car purchases, allowing buyers of its electric vehicles to use the cryptocurrency as an alternative to the usual cash, lease, and finance options. The move comes after the automaker waded into bitcoin holdings itself earlier this year, purchasing $1.5 billion worth of the cryptocurrency in February.
Tesla EVs have been banned by the Chinese military, with the electric vehicles reportedly no longer allowed around military complexes or housing. The array of cameras fitted to each car - which is used for Autopilot, among other things - has been blamed for the decision, which emerged unofficially from China this week.