A research team built a physics-based RL simulation of Tesla's flying Roadster, complete with wind gusts and the ramp-flip and Cybertruck kickflip stunts from the reveal, then had several leading LLMs try to pilot it. Models including DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, Nemotron 3.5 Super, Muse Spark Open, Beam 1.0, and GPT-6 Astra mostly crashed, landing few or none of the maneuvers even with unlimited thinking time, while a small 4B model fine-tuned with reinforcement learning landed reliably, including in a 33 m/s storm.
skypilot.ai
· 2026-10-30
Rivian plans to roll out a point-to-point hands-free driving feature to employees in 2026 and to customers in 2027, followed by a robotaxi launch with Uber in 2028. Rivian finance VP Derek Mulvey called autonomy a key product differentiator and long-term value driver during an earnings call. The company's R2 vehicle has meanwhile become Rivian's best-selling model by volume.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-30
Seoul police say 80 Tesla drivers illegally activated Full Self-Driving using aftermarket devices that bypass regional software locks, confiscating 21 such units. The modules tap into the car's CAN bus, with some drivers importing devices from Europe or China and at least one building his own using GitHub instructions. Drivers face prosecution under the Motor Vehicle Management Act, carrying penalties up to two years in prison or a 20 million won ($15,000) fine.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-10-30
Rivian reported that its new R2 SUV, launched in June, was the company's best-selling vehicle in the third quarter, though it did not disclose exact R2 sales figures. Citing strong demand, Rivian raised its 2025 delivery guidance floor from 65,000 to 67,000 vehicles, the second such increase this year. The company had previously built 19,751 and delivered 19,248 vehicles in Q3, up about 45% year-over-year.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-29
A Tesla Semi caught fire on Interstate 880 in Hayward, California, Tuesday evening with no collision involved, California Highway Patrol said. The lithium-ion battery fire forced a full closure of the freeway in both directions over hazardous smoke concerns, with southbound lanes reopening around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday after roughly 10 hours. The driver escaped unhurt, and the cause remains under investigation.
electrek.co
· 2026-10-28
Tesla showed its second-generation Roadster using a compressed-air thruster system for a brief airborne demonstration in mid-October, reigniting interest from buyers who have waited years for the car. Some customers, including EV dealer owner Alex Lawrence, placed new deposits on top of existing ones: $50,000 for the base model and up to $250,000 for the thruster-equipped version, while an invite-only 'Rocket' variant won't be street legal. Tesla first unveiled the Roadster in 2017 promising 2020 delivery, but now says production will begin in 2028 with no confirmed delivery date or final pricing.
wired.com
· 2026-10-28
Elon Musk revealed that Tesla and SpaceX are exploring a merger, days after SpaceX's compressed-gas thrusters powered a viral stunt with Tesla's Roadster. Tesla's car business still generates about 75 percent of its revenue, but the company has scaled back its 2030 sales target from 20 million to 5 million vehicles after delivering 1.6 million last year.
arstechnica.com
· 2026-10-26
Turo announced it will flag which Tesla vehicles on its rental marketplace have Full Self-Driving (Supervised) enabled, using direct API access to Tesla to verify the feature. Eligible hosts who list FSD-capable cars will get a free one-month trial of the software. Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y rank as Turo's third and fourth most-rented vehicles this year.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-26
Tesla and Rivian confirm that even when locked, their EVs run periodic battery management checks and use the high-voltage battery to recharge smaller 12V systems that power locks and computers. Tesla says app requests, climate preconditioning and infotainment also draw power while parked, and cold weather can skew range estimates independent of actual energy use.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-24
California Highway Patrol said a 71-year-old pedestrian died after being hit by a Tesla traveling about 70 mph on I-80 near Vallejo early Thursday, while the vehicle's Full Self-Driving system was reportedly engaged. The 26-year-old driver remained at the scene and told officers the car had attempted to brake and steer left, but it still struck the man as he walked onto the freeway from the shoulder. CHP said the pedestrian was later struck by another vehicle that did not stop.
futurism.com
· 2026-10-23
The Verge's Vergecast podcast revisited its review of the iPhone Duo, a dual-screen device that received a 7 out of 10 score. Hosts David Pierce and Nilay Patel discussed whether that rating holds up and debated John Gruber's claim that the Duo's outer screen is the worst iPhone screen ever made.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-23
Tesla has told customers in Australia and New Zealand who reserved a Cybertruck years ago that production plans for their markets have been discontinued. The company will refund deposits within 30 days and is offering a free year of Full Self-Driving (Supervised) to those who instead order a Model 3 or Model Y.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-23
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