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In January, Tesla disclosed that the Justice Department had requested documents related to its Autopilot and “Full Self-Driving” features. Both features are classified as driver-assist systems, and the company says on its website that the vehicles cannot drive themselves. For the first time, Tesla said in its filing that the investigations could damage the company's brand. Disclosing that vehicle range is under scrutiny “also reflects a concern about the company's representations about vehicle features,” said Frenkel, now a partner with Dickinson Wright in Washington. It's unclear if Tesla merely considered subpoenas as requests for information in prior quarterly disclosures, Frenkel said.

Persons: Tesla, Elon Musk, ”, Erik Gordon, Gordon, Jacob Frenkel, “, Frenkel, Dickinson Wright, ” Frenkel, Musk Organizations: DETROIT, —, Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of Justice, Justice Department, University of Michigan, DOJ, SEC, U.S . National, Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, Auto, Transportation Safety Locations: Austin , Texas, Washington, Austin, Florida, California

☆ Man who tricked Tesla into giving him 5 free cars and set one on fire on a frozen lake gets 4-year prison sentence
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A 34-year-old man tricked Tesla into giving him five EVs without full payment, the US DOJ said. The man, Michael Gonzalez, resold a Model 3 and two Model Xs for about $231,900, prosecutors said. AdvertisementAdvertisementA man who managed to trick Tesla into giving him five of its electric cars for free has been sentenced to four years in prison, according to the US Department of Justice. The man, 34-year-old Michael Gonzalez from Vermont, was able to get five brand new EVs from Tesla that were worth over $560,000 in total, the DOJ said. The vehicles included a 2018 Model 3, and four Model X EVs, according to court records.

Persons: Tesla, Michael Gonzalez, Gonzalez, —, Prosecutors, he'd, Michael Organizations: DOJ, Service, US Department of Justice, eBay, Craigslist, Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, MarketWatch, Tesla, US, Office, District of Locations: Michael Gonzalez from Vermont, Shelburne Bay, Vermont, District of Vermont

☆ It looks like Tesla might offer Cybertruck colors for people who don't want plain stainless steel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Tesla launched colored wraps for the Model 3 and Model Y, indicating it could do the same for its truck. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementAdvertisementTesla fans have been wondering whether the upcoming Cybertruck would be offered in any colors except for bare stainless steel. Elon Musk's car company for the first time introduced colored wraps for its Model Y SUV and Model 3 sedan. AdvertisementAdvertisementAnd, as anyone with a constantly smudgy fridge knows well, stainless steel can be a nightmare to keep clean.

Persons: Tesla, —, Elon Organizations: Service, DeLorean, Toyota

☆ A Tesla owner said his Model 3 in Full Self-Driving mode didn't slow down before it hit water on the road and crashed into a pond
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Tesla owner said his Model 3 didn't slow down before it hit water on a road in California. AdvertisementAdvertisementA Tesla owner using his Model 3 in Full Self-Driving mode says the car didn't slow down when it encountered water across on a road, causing it to crash into a pond. AdvertisementAdvertisementRyan claimed that his Model 3 didn't slow down as it approached the water lying on the road. A Tesla Model S crashed on a bridge in San Francisco on Thanksgiving in 2022 with seven other vehicles, the Guardian reported. Tesla didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider, made outside normal working hours.

Persons: Ryan, Tesla, Tesla's Organizations: YouTube, Morning, Tesla, Guardian, Washington Post, Yorker Locations: California, Mono City, Mono City , California, San Francisco

☆ 28-year-old self-made billionaire started his self-driving car company in his parents' garage—now he's worth $1.6 billion
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

When Austin Russell was a 17-year-old high school student, he founded Luminar Technologies, which makes laser sensors that can help self-driving cars detect nearby objects. Now 28, Russell is the world's youngest self-made billionaire, according to Forbes, as Luminar competes with major companies like Tesla and Alphabet's Waymo. But self-driving cars aren't exactly commonplace on American roads, meaning Russell and Luminar have a lot of work ahead of them, despite their lofty valuations. How it differs from Tesla's approachElon Musk's Tesla also seeks to popularize self-driving cars, and Musk's approach to the technology is entirely different. Lidar could potentially change that, Russell says: Cameras can be helpful "for certain use cases," but lidar is "a huge step forward."

Persons: Austin Russell, Russell, Waymo, —, Luminar, Elon Musk's Tesla, Mario Herger, Herger, Tesla Organizations: Luminar Technologies, CNBC, Forbes, Benz, Volvo, Stanford University, Thiel, Washington Post Locations: Orlando , Florida, U.S

☆ A Tesla owner says he was locked out of his EV after its 12-volt battery died amid the Texas heat
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Dennis Hegstad said his Model 3 was stuck in his driveway after its 12-volt battery died. The Tesla owner attributes the issue to the impact of the Texas summer heat on the battery. A Tesla owner said he was locked out of his Model 3 in his driveway after the 12-volt battery, which powers the car's smaller functions including windows and doors, died last week amid the Texas summer heat. Hegstad is not the first Tesla owner to report issues with getting into his EV. Last year, a Tesla owner went viral on TikTok after he said he was locked out of his Model S after the lithium-ion battery died.

Persons: Dennis Hegstad, Tesla, Hegstad, Tesla's, — Hegstad, he'd, Glenn Howerton Organizations: EV, Twitter, Tesla Locations: Texas, Austin, hosing, Philadelphia, Los Angeles

☆ Elon Musk said Tesla would finally advertise. It just dropped a video on Twitter — is this its first commercial?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk said last week that the company will begin advertising for the first time in its history. The electric carmaker rolled out a 2-minute Twitter video on its Tesla Asia account called "Drive to believe." Last week, Musk called the Tesla promotions on Twitter "preaching to the choir." Musk told CNBC's David Faber later that day that he'd only just made the decision at the event. Musk told CNBC that he hopes to use ads to combat what he said was misinformation about the brand's pricing, as well as promote its safety features.

☆ Tesla CEO Elon Musk says he must approve all new hires in internal email
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

SpaceX, Twitter and electric car maker Tesla CEO Elon Musk meets with France's President Emmanuel Macron (L) at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris on May 15, 2023. Tesla CEO Elon Musk sent an email to "everybody" at his electric vehicle maker on Monday, expressing concern over the company's current hiring practices. "I would like to gain a better understanding of our hiring," Musk wrote in the email. "Think carefully before sending me a request," Musk wrote in Monday's email. Here's Monday's email from Musk:To: Everybody From: Elon Musk Subj.

☆ A California man says he's 'so lucky to be alive' after his Tesla started shaking and caught fire while driving
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A California man said he was lucky to be alive after his Tesla car caught fire while driving. Bishal Malla was on his way home and about to enter Highway 99 when his car started shaking. A California man said he was lucky to be alive after his Tesla started shaking and caught fire while he was driving. "I am so lucky to be alive at the moment," Malla told KCRA 3, "and I'm sure glad that my family was not there." It isn't clear why Malla's Tesla caught fire.

☆ Elon Musk's private jet emitted 132 times as much carbon as the average American does in an entire year
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Elon Musk travels more by private jet than nearly anyone else in the US. His annual carbon footprint — just from flying private — is 132 times that of the average American. Musk's carbon footprint from his 171 private flights in 2022 was 132 times the size of the average US resident's total annual footprint from all activities, the report found. His private plane burned about 221,358 gallons of jet fuel and emitted about 2,112 metric tons of carbon emissions last year, the report found. It notes that Musk purchased an additional private plane last year — a $78 million Gulfstream G700, the world's largest purpose-built private jet — that's expected to replace his G50ER model.

☆ Tesla's not even in the top 10 of self-driving firms, according to experts who ranked all of the leading companies working on automation
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Research firm Guidehouse Insights regularly ranks companies developing automated driving tech. Tesla didn't make this year's top 10, and ranked last of 16 companies assessed. Moreover, of the 16 companies recently ranked by research and consulting firm Guidehouse Insights (which ranks some of the biggest names working on automated-driving technology each year), Tesla came in last. Tesla ranked last in similar lists in 2021 and 2020. To come up with the list, Guidehouse weighs factors such as a company's vision, go-to-market and production strategies, partners, tech, commercial readiness, and more.

☆ Tesla's cut prices in the US yet again, this time by as much as $5,000
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Tesla cut the prices of its two most expensive cars in the fifth reductions this year. The Model S and Model X are now $5,000 cheaper, with $2,000 off the Model Y. The cuts come as the US brings in new rules on EV tax credits later this month. Elon Musk's electric carmaker has slashed $5,000 off both the Model S and Model X, according to the company's website. The basic version of Tesla's Model S is now $84,990, down from $89,990 at the beginning of March.

☆ A crash involving a Tesla and a student who just got out of a school bus is being investigated by authorities, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Tesla may have been using assisted driving technology when it struck a student, per The AP. The 17-year-old had exited a school bus in Halifax County, North Carolina on March 15. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation, per The AP. A 51-year-old man was driving a 2022 Tesla Model Y, which failed to stop despite the bus displaying its warning signals. The NHTSA, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and Tesla didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from Insider, made outside normal working hours.

To report this story, Reuters contacted more than 300 former Tesla employees who had worked at the company over the past nine years and were involved in developing its self-driving system. The company requires car owners to grant permission on the cars’ touchscreens before Tesla collects their vehicles’ data. Reuters found that Tesla employees shared clips that captured sensitive and embarrassing personal moments. Tesla’s own data labelers initially worked in the San Francisco Bay area, including the office in San Mateo. According to several ex-employees, some labelers shared screenshots, sometimes marked up using Adobe Photoshop, in private group chats on Mattermost, Tesla’s internal messaging system.

☆ Car companies stand to make billions charging monthly fees for features like heated seats. Electric vehicles make that even easier for them.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Electric cars are less profitable for automakers than gas-powered ones. There's a simple reason why: EVs aren't very profitable for automakers — and certainly nowhere near how profitable gas-powered cars. Subscriptions and additional offerings post-initial transactions are part of why automakers are especially interested in leasing their EVs. So major changes are in store as automakers navigate shifting consumer behaviors, industry headwinds, and especially, increasingly attractive competition. "This looming threat adds pressure on the traditional dealer model and threatens to impact the bottom line," the report says.

☆ Elon Musk says he's working on Twitter's customer service — but some Tesla and Starlink customers haven't been impressed when trying to receive support
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk said Twitter users must have good customer service, and that he was working on it. Customers of his other companies have said they're disappointed at the lack of customer service. "Of course, you need to have good customer service for money," Musk tweeted, adding he was "working on it." Some commented on how slow and unresponsive Tesla's customer service was, while others said it was quick and easy. Are you a Starlink user or Tesla owner who is disappointed with the company's customer service?

☆ Warren Buffett missed out on a monster return by not investing in Tesla early on, Elon Musk says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Warren Buffett missed out on a monster return by not betting on Tesla early on, Elon Musk says. The famed investor and Berkshire Hathaway CEO could have achieved a similar result by simply betting on Tesla early on, Elon Musk says. He was commenting on a video clip showing how Berkshire's stock portfolio has changed over the last three decades or so. Buffett won't be kicking himself too hard, given Berkshire's stock portfolio ballooned in value by more than 20-fold between 1994 and the end of 2022. Buffett and Munger might have made more money on Tesla stock, but they were never likely to join the ranks of Musk's shareholders.

☆ Tesla just slashed Model X and Model S prices for the second time in 2023, by $10,000 and $5,000 respectively
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

It cut the prices of its Model X and Model S by $10,000 and $5,000 respectively. The basic version now costs $89,990, down from $94,990, while the Plaid performance version now costs $109,990, down from $114,990. At the end of 2022, the basic Model S cost $104,990 and the Plaid version, $135,990. The Model X SUV, Tesla's most expensive vehicle, was just discounted by $10,000 in the US, according to the company's website. Before the first price cut of 2023, the basic Model X cost $120,990, and the Plaid version, $138,990.

☆ Experts ranked the leading self-driving companies. Tesla didn't even crack the top 10.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Research firm Guidehouse Insights regularly ranks companies developing automated driving tech. Tesla didn't make this year's top 10, and ranked last of 16 companies assessed. That's despite CEO Elon Musk's confidence in his Full Self-Driving tech. Moreover, of the 16 companies recently ranked by research and consulting firm Guidehouse Insights (which ranks some of the biggest names working on automated-driving technology each year), Tesla came in last. Tesla ranked last in similar lists in 2021 and 2020.

☆ Tesla's China sales slow as price-cut boost wanes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The U.S. automaker nearly doubled weekly retail sales in the week of Feb. 20 to 10,703 vehicles versus a week prior, showed data from China Merchants Bank International (CMBI) on Tuesday, which tracks weekly retail sales based on car insurance registrations. Sales are slowing in part due to an ageing product line, said Yale Zhang, managing director at Shanghai-based consultancy Automotive Foresight. Consumers are also delaying purchases while waiting to see if other EV makers cut prices, Zhang said. Meanwhile, the market share of BYD Co Ltd (002594.SZ), surged to 37% from 27%, CMBI data showed. Smaller EV players such as Leap Motor and Great Wall Motor Co Ltd's (601633.SS) Ora are among those whose market share shrank.

☆ Tesla and Elon Musk sued by shareholders over Autopilot safety risks after a $38 billion drop in market value, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla shareholders are suing the EV maker and its CEO Elon Musk over its claimed self-driving capabilities. Tesla's self-driving technology is suspected to be the cause of several high-profile accidents, which have forced recalls by regulators. That coincided with a 5.7% drop in its stock price, equivalent to a $38.6 billion drop in market value for the company. According to Reuters, shareholders argued that the drop in stocks was one of several instances where shareholder value was harmed by the company's self-driving claims. Scrutiny has grown on self-driving technology in recent months, with Tesla's own cofounder Martin Eberhard calling it "crap."

☆ Car companies want to make billions by charging monthly fees for features like heated seats — and electric cars makes it easier than ever
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

☆ Tesla has already sold out of Model Y in the US for Q1 — and no more are expected to be delivered until April, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Tesla's website says the estimated delivery date for the Model Y is April to June this year. Tesla cut the price of the Model Y in January and buyer demand surged. Citing sources familiar with the matter, Electrek reported on Wednesday that Tesla had already sold out of Model Y vehicles in the US for this quarter. There were no more production build slots for the Model Y for the rest of the first quarter, sources told Electrek. About a month after Tesla dropped the Model Y price, the company increased the cost of the Model Y performance crossover by $1,000, taking the price to $58,990, Reuters reported.

☆ You'll be able to plug in any EV at some Tesla Superchargers by the end of 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The Biden administration said Tesla will open at least 7,500 chargers to all EVs by the end of 2024. EV drivers must use the Tesla app or website to use the charging stations, the White House said. EV drivers will need to use the Tesla app or website to take advantage of Superchargers, the administration said. Tesla also agreed to more than double its US network of Superchargers, which are made in Buffalo, New York, it added. The White House said it aimed to create a "convenient, reliable and Made-in-America electric vehicle charging network so that the great American road trip can be electrified."

☆ Super Bowl attack ad shows a Tesla slamming into 2 child-size mannequins and a stroller
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A Super Bowl ad showed a Tesla slamming into two child-sized mannequins and a stroller. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the ad would raise awareness a Tesla could drive itself while supervised. The 30-second ad was created by The Dawn Project, an organization that campaigns to ban what it calls "unsafe software." The Dawn Project says the ad shows tests it performed with a Tesla using the company's Full Self Driving (FSD) feature. On its website, The Dawn Project says Tesla's FSD software is "not safe for public roads."

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