If you're planning on purchasing a new Model S or X, receive a $1000 discount by using my referral code, http://ts.la/david7556 (or give "david7556" to your sales advisor). I need 5 more referrals by March 15 to receive a special edition Powerwall 2.
Model S
Heroic Driver Sacrifices His Tesla To Save Unconscious Man In Runaway Volkswagen
Near Munich, Germany, a man in a Tesla Model S saw a Volkswagen Passat swerving erratically on the Autobahn, slamming against a guardrail multiple times. When he noticed that the person behind the wheel was unconscious, the Tesla driver sprang into action. Muenchner Merkur reports that this “action” involved the 41 year-old driver in the Tesla calling the fire department, and then pulling his Model S in front of the out-of-control Passat. He then tapped the brakes so the Passat was contacting his rear bumper, and slowly, the two cars came to a halt. Shortly thereafter, the fire department came to assist the unconscious driver, who, the German daily newspaper says, likely suffered a stroke.
Great inspiring story. Elon tweeted in response to this story, "In appreciation, Tesla is providing all repair costs free of charge and expedited."
Autopilot
Tesla enables Autosteer on ‘local roads’ for new Enhanced Autopilot vehicles
The latest change has been pushed to the first AP2 cars today and it enables Autosteer on ‘local roads’, but with a few restrictions. Tesla has been geoblocking the use of some Autopilot features since last year in order to force users to primarily use the system where it was originally supposed to be used; on highways. Vehicles equipped with the first generation Autopilot were still able to use Autosteer, Autopilot’s main feature which enables automatic steering, on undivided roads, but with severe speed restrictions – though they were later relaxed a little. AP2 vehicles were limited to divided roads (highways) since the launch last month, but the new update today opens up the Autosteer feature to what Tesla is now calling “local roads” up to a speed of 35 mph.
It looks like Autopilot 2 is headed for parity with Autopilot 1 within a couple more months, and then I expect it to be far better than Autopilot 1 within another several months time.
TSLA
UAW goes on the offensive in attempt to unionize Tesla’s factory, sends out organizers
The new effort to unionize Tesla’s Fremont Factory saw a new development today as the president of the United Auto Workers (UAW), Dennis Williams, held a press conference during which he answered questions about Tesla. Williams confirmed that they sent out organizers to help in the effort to unionize the plant and a full campaign could follow. It looks like a more aggressive move than what was disclosed by the union last week.
It will be interesting to see how Elon handles the increasingly aggressive behavior of the UAW.
Tesla Nears Record as Musk Stays Mum on SolarCity's Impact
Merger integration is no small feat, and Tesla has been mum about how SolarCity will fit in. One question, for example, is whether the company will be folded into Tesla Energy -- which sells batteries to homes, businesses and utilities -- or remain its own business unit. Tesla declined to comment on how it plans to include SolarCity in its upcoming earnings report. Estimates for the fourth quarter results Tesla is scheduled to report Feb. 22 vary wildly, from an adjusted loss per share of $2.13 to a profit of 10 cents, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Only three analysts were covering both Tesla and SolarCity prior to the acquisition that closed in November.
Tesla earnings is coming up on Feb 22 and this will be the first time Tesla will report Solarcity's business in their earnings. It will be interesting to see how they lay everything out as typically Solarcity's earnings reports have been excessively complex and difficult to understand for most people.
Ron Baron expects mind-boggling returns from Elon Musk-led Tesla
"I think that in 2020 we're going to make from present prices about four times our money," the billionaire founder of Baron Capital told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Wednesday. "I think in 2025 we can make another triple, and in 2030 it can be another triple." The 73-year-old Baron explained how he amassed a stake in Elon Musk-led Telsa worth about $300 million. "We have brought shares of Tesla, about 1.6 million shares over a 3½-year period of time. Our average cost is about $208 a share."
It's great to see some notable bulls promote TSLA.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk Is Really Boring
Musk wouldn’t comment on Trump, but a person close to him says that while the Boring Company would be open to building tunnels as part of Trump’s infrastructure plan, it intends to move forward regardless of what happens in Washington. Musk says he hopes to build a much faster tunneling machine and use it to dig thousands of miles, eventually creating a vast underground network that includes as many as 30 levels of tunnels for cars and high-speed trains such as the Hyperloop. Objections spring to mind. Such as: Wouldn’t having hundreds of feet of hollow tunnels destabilize the ground? Nope, Musk says, the mining industry does it all the time. “The earth is big, and we are small,” he says. “We are so f---ing small you cannot believe it.” Not only are these megatunnels possible, he argues, they’re the only way we can rid ourselves of the scourge of traffic.
Fascinating read on a recent interview with Elon Musk regarding tunnels.
Elon Musk describes humans as already being 'cyborgs'
Musk also discussed how he saw human beings as already being ‘cyborgs’ as we become more and more dependent on technology. To muted laughter from the crowd he explained: “To some degree we are already a cyborg — you think of all the digital tools that you have — your phone, your computer. The applications that you have. The fact that you can ask a question and instantly get an answer from Google and other things. You already have a digital tertiary layer. Think of the limbic system — the animal brain and the cortex as the thinking part of the brain, and your digital self as a third layer. If you die your digital ghost is still around. All of their emails, and social media, that still lives if they die. Over time we will see a closer merger of biological intelligence and digital intelligence. It is all about the band width of the brain. The digital extension of yourself. Output if anything is getting worse. We do most of our output through our thumbs which is very slow. Some high band width interface to the brain will be something which helps achieve symbiosis between human and machine intelligence, which solves a control and usefulness problem.”
Other News
The Future of Self-Driving Cars, According to Elon Musk and Travis Kalanick
Uber founder and CEO Travis Kalanick thinks car ownership is indeed becoming passé—or at least he hopes it is. Speaking this week at the World Government Summit in Dubai, the now-former member of President Donald Trump's economic advisory council keyed on the habits of young people to illustrate his vision for what he believes to be a still-nascent ride sharing industry. "Millennials aren't buying cars anymore," Kalanick said. "They don't want to drive. They don't want to own these cars. They don't want that inconvenience." He went on to cite a Morgan Stanley study that found that while ride sharing is currently responsible for about 4 percent of the miles traveled by car globally, the number will be nearly 30 percent by the year 2030.
Add autonomous driving and ride-sharing and I think we'll see a huge industry. I'm looking forward to seeing what Tesla has to offer with Tesla Network.
Here’s why Elon Musk’s iconic Tesla might just work in India
Other than simply selling because of its brand value or the near-religious fan following that Elon Musk commands, there is a possibility that Tesla and Musk may be able to bring about some much needed changes in the way that we look at off-grid electricity and electric and hybrid vehicles in India. Tesla brings with it the possibility of its subsidiary company SolarCity also coming to India, which (in the USA) sells renewable energy commercially at prices below utility rates, making it possible to go completely off-grid. As the Indian automobile market continues to grow, Elon Musk and Tesla may be simply making a sound business decision to bring their cutting edge cars to India, without necessarily hoping to achieve the ideals of it.