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Tesla Model Y goes on display outside of its Fremont seat factory

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Posted on April 27, 2019


Tesla recently had a Model Y on display for employees to see outside of its seat factory at 901 Page Street in Fremont, California, roughly 3 miles from the company’s main factory. In photos posted by multiple Reddit users, it appears the same deep blue metallic Model Y driven on stage and used for test drives at the car’s unveiling event last month was available in the building’s parking lot for a closer look.

The vehicle on display is outfitted with chrome-delete trim, a look that’s popular with the Tesla aftermarket community yet a standard factory offering for the Model Y. Additionally, the all-electric crossover is seen with Tesla Sport Wheels in the color black. Tesla offers Sport Wheels in silver as a $1,500 option in the Model 3 and Model Y online configurator.

Tesla Model Y outside Fremont seat factory. | Image: Reddit u/hunrob

Tesla Model Y outside Fremont seat factory. | Image: Reddit u/backstreetatnight

Tesla Model Y outside Fremont seat factory. | Image: Reddit u/backstreetatnight

Tesla Model Y outside Fremont seat factory. | Image: Reddit u/backstreetatnight
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The final production location for the Model Y is yet to be decided, as noted by CEO Elon Musk during Tesla’s Q1 2019 earnings call. He subsequently estimated a decision on the matter would be made within the next few weeks, the current close call being between the Fremont factory and Gigafactory 1 in Sparks, Nevada.

Space is limited in Fremont with the Model S, Model 3, and Model X lines already being produced there, and in Tesla’s Q4 2018 full year update, Musk indicated that the company’s Nevada facility might be the best manufacturing location for Model Y. Musk jokingly hinted that sprung structures, i.e., heavy-duty “tents” similar to those used to help expand Model 3 production, could be an option if space was limited wherever Model Y was ultimately made. “I’m a fan of tents, like real, hardcore tents,” Musk mused.

Tesla’s Model Y is expected to be the highest-volume-production vehicle for the company when it goes on sale, even exceeding the mass market Model 3. In California, for example, Tesla was the highest sold alternative powertrain brand in 2018, and Model 3 represented 55% of all battery-electric vehicle sales. The popularity of the crossover SUV market is driving future Model Y sales predictions, and Elon Musk has anticipated a demand and delivery schedule that equates to 1 million units per year.

Production of the Model Y is expected to take place in late 2020 with the first deliveries beginning shortly thereafter.

Tesla Model Y goes on display outside of its Fremont seat factory


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Tesla Model S, Model X get On-Route Battery Warmup for faster Supercharging speeds

Simon Alvarez

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Posted on April 26, 2019


Tesla’s two flagship vehicles, the Model S sedan and the Model X SUV, have received their latest improvements from the electric car maker. In a recent announcement, a Tesla spokesperson has stated that all Model S and Model X globally will now have On-Route Battery Warmup, a feature that warms a vehicle’s battery pack while it’s en-route to a Supercharger.

The inclusion of On-Route Battery Warmup is a welcome update for the Model S and Model X. With the feature in place, the vehicles will be able to take a Supercharger’s peak charge rate for the longest time possible. This reduces average charging times by up to 25%. Even with Tesla’s existing Supercharger V2 network, Model S and Model X owners can look forward to notably shorter charging stops.

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Together with the Model S and Model X’s new battery warmup capabilities is the rollout of a much-awaited Supercharger V2 update. Tesla noted during its launch of Supercharger V3 last March that the company will be updating its V2 network as well, by unlocking 145 kW peak charge rates for over 12,000 V2 chargers across the globe. A Tesla spokesperson has clarified that the electric car maker has exceeded this goal, unlocking 150 kW peak charge rates from its V2 network instead of the planned 145 kW.

While improvements in charge speeds will be rolled out to all of Tesla’s vehicles, the Supercharger V2 network’s 150 kW peak charge rates will initially be compatible with the 100 kWh variants of the Model S and Model X, as well as the Long Range versions of the Model 3. Other vehicles in the company’s electric car lineup are being validated.

Tesla appears set on making the Model S and Model X more compelling to customers once more. After seemingly prioritizing improvements to the Model 3 over the past year, the electric car maker is putting a lot of effort into the sedan and SUV, as shown by the vehicles’ recent range upgrades and new features such as adaptive suspension.

Tesla currently lists the Model S with up to 370 miles range per charge, while the larger, more spacious Model X is listed with a 325-mile range. During Motor Trend‘s test of the updated Model S, the auto news agency’s team was able to drive the all-electric premium sedan from San Francisco all the way to Los Angeles (a distance of 359 miles) at normal highway speeds without stopping for a recharge. The vehicle ultimately made it to Los Angeles with 11% of its battery (around 41 miles of range) remaining. Had the publication continued its tests until the Model 3’s battery was drained, the electric car could have gone a full 400 miles at normal highway speeds.

Tesla Model S, Model X get On-Route Battery Warmup for faster Supercharging speeds


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Elon Musk and the SEC need more time to decide the fate of Tesla CEO’s Twitter feed

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Posted on April 26, 2019


Tesla CEO Elon Musk and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have requested another extension for their joint submission deadline settling a contempt charge surrounding Musk’s use of Twitter to discuss business matters. The new date requested is April 30th, the original date having been extended once already from April 18th to April 25th, as reported by CNBC.

In the last extension request, Musk, the SEC, and both of their attorneys stated that they still had yet to reach an agreement resolving the SEC’s issues with Tesla’s CEO. The agency sought to charge Musk with contempt of a prior court order after tweeting on February 19th that the all-electric car maker would produce around 500K cars this year, later clarifying that he’d meant an annualized production rate. The SEC characterized Musk’s online actions as “recklessly tweet[ing] out information that has no basis in fact” despite the information having been disclosed during Tesla’s Q4 2018 earnings call.

Needing to clarify a posted message apparently indicated to the SEC that Musk’s communications were not being reviewed. The original order behind the SEC’s contempt charge required the CEO’s tweets to be pre-approved if they were financially material for Tesla; however, Musk decides whether a tweet is material or not, something the SEC is not happy about.

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An April 4th hearing on the matter faced the two parties against one another. It resulted in an order for a joint meeting to be held followed by a letter to the court indicating a resolution had been reached within two weeks, per presiding Judge Alison Nathan. If no agreement is reached, Musk’s legal team and the SEC will hear from Judge Nathan in due course.

Elon Musk’s legal council John Hueston argued against the SEC’s charges, stating that there was not a clear enough standard for contempt to justify the harsh recourse it meant, and that the SEC should have worked with Tesla and Musk in good faith to resolve any concerns first. Presiding Judge Alison Nathan agreed with Hueston’s sentiments and incorporated them into the order. Judge Nathan also told the parties to create a new agreement incorporating the SEC’s concerns that Musk’s Twitter activity was not being properly vetted.

The original issue at hand was the business magnate’s infamous “funding secured” tweet wherein he announced he was thinking of taking Tesla private at $420 per share and had the financial means to take action. In addition to implementing a tweet review system, the fallout included a $20 million dollar fine from Musk to the SEC and Musk’s stepping down as Tesla chairman for three years.

Elon Musk and the SEC need more time to decide the fate of Tesla CEO’s Twitter feed


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SpaceX ships Falcon 9 booster west for second California launch of 2019

Eric Ralph

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Posted on April 26, 2019


A local resident spotted a SpaceX Falcon 9 booster heading west out of Florida, likely bound for the company’s SLC-4E Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) launch pad and second California launch of 2019.

Barring a surprise reassignment, the booster Joshuah Murrah caught is Falcon 9 B1051, on its way west some 50 days after successfully supporting Crew Dragon’s March 2nd launch debut. Despite the availability of B1046, B1047, and B1049, B1051 was assigned to the Canadian Space Agency’s (CSA) Radarsat Constellation Mission (RCM) shortly after landing aboard OCISLY, triggering major launch delays. The most logical explanation for customer CSA’s and satellite contractor Maxar Technologies’ curious decision is that they must believe that Falcon 9 Block 5 boosters with more than one launch in their past add more risk than those that do not.

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According to an April 16th update from CSA, RCM’s launch was scheduled for no earlier than (NET) late May or early June, although word on the ground is that mid-to-late June is now a more likely target. Contrary to rumors of delays, B1051’s shipment west indicates that SpaceX has more or less completed the booster’s refurbishment, likely the easiest Falcon 9 Block 5 refurbishment yet thanks to its relatively slow and cool reentry after launching Crew Dragon.

B1051 returned to Pad 39A’s integration hangar around March 7th, where it spent approximately 50 days being inspected, refurbished, and prepared for cross-country transport. The booster departed Florida on April 26th and will likely arrive at VAFB around May 2nd. Even assuming a slow trip west and buggy preflight preparations, Falcon 9 should theoretically be ready to launch RCM no later than the third or fourth week of May, barring issues or production delays with the mission’s fairing or Falcon upper stage.

Falcon 9 B1051 is refurbished inside Pad 39A’s main hangar, April 2019. (SpaceX)

Given that Maxar/CSA chose B1051 at a cost of months of launch delays, they may have needs that far outstretch the normal demands of SpaceX’s private (non-government) customers, not out of the question given that CSA is a national space agency and RCM is a high-value (~$1B) science mission. Short of flying on a new Falcon 9 booster, B1051 does theoretically seem to offer the least risk of failure insofar as one can claim that boosters that have completed more launches are more likely to fail.

SpaceX would likely vehemently deny such a claim given their position that highly reusable rockets – much like aircraft – will actually become more reliable and trustworthy the more they launch. Both positions make sense in theory but theory falls flat in the face of actual data, of which only SpaceX and certain customers have access to.

  • Falcon 9 B1051 lifts off for the first time on March 2nd. (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
  • (Pauline Acalin)
  • B1051 landed aboard drone ship OCISLY around 8 minutes after launch. (SpaceX)

As an external observer, the best data available is a binary public record of Falcon 9 launch success, as well as the degree to which missions are delayed beyond their scheduled launch targets. Falcon 9 Block 5 boosters have launched 16 times in 11 months, six of which used a flight-proven first stage. Flight-proven boosters appear to be a bit more finicky than unflown rockets in terms of late-stage launch delays, but the data is inconsistent and the sample size statistically insignificant. More generally, Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy have launched 72 times in nine years and suffered two total failures, both caused by unflown upper stages. In 72 launches, including 20 missions with flight-proven boosters, a Falcon 9/Heavy first stage has never caused a total mission failure.

In short, it’s impossible to intuit any clear performance or reliability advantage without the sort of granular per-mission data that only SpaceX and privileged customers have access to. In general, Falcon 9 – reused or not – has consecutively completed 41 successful launches since its second and last mission failure in September 2016, half (49%) of which used flight-proven boosters. Of course, customers have every right to their own standards and expectations of quality and risk-reduction, but Falcon 9’s performance largely speaks for itself at this point – anything beyond its default record of mission assurance is just icing on the proverbial spaceflight cake.

Check out Teslarati’s newsletters for prompt updates, on-the-ground perspectives, and unique glimpses of SpaceX’s rocket launch and recovery processes

SpaceX ships Falcon 9 booster west for second California launch of 2019


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Tesla Gigafactory 3 on track to break China’s record for fastest factory buildout

Simon Alvarez

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Posted on April 26, 2019


Back in the middle of March, workers at Tesla’s Gigafactory 3 in China commemorated the first pillar that was set up on the site. Just over a month after, Gigafactory 3 is literally taking shape, with sections of Tesla’s expected general assembly building being built in an incredibly rapid manner. The speed of Gigafactory 3’s construction has become so remarkable; it could potentially be a record in China.

In a recent post on Weibo, Chang Yan CY, Senior Editor of Tencent Auto, noted that the fastest construction time for an industrial-grade facility like Gigafactory 3 had been 17 months. Tesla’s Shanghai-based plant is on track to potentially break this already-impressive record. The rapid pace of the facility’s construction could be seen in images taken of the site over the past few months. When Elon Musk attended the site’s groundbreaking event back in January, Tesla skeptics mocked the site for looking like a “swamp.” Just over a hundred days since then, a large, very legitimate factory is rising on the site.

(Credit: Chang Yan CY/Weibo)

(Credit: Chang Yan CY/Weibo)

(Credit: Chang Yan CY/Weibo)

Images from a recent flyover of Tesla’s Gigafactory 3 site in Shanghai, China. (Credit: Chang Yan CY/Weibo)

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Part of the reason behind Gigafactory 3’s incredible construction speed is the urgency of the project, with Tesla CEO Elon Musk aiming to start Model 3 production by the end of the year. Shanghai official Chen Mingbo highlighted this urgency in March, urging Tesla and its construction partner to finish the initial Phase 1 buildout by May. 

To make such an aggressive timetable into reality, Tesla and its construction partner are operating 24/7 on Gigafactory 3’s buildout. The nonstop work on the site has been a real difference maker, allowing some sections of the Phase 1 area to enter the roof paving stage roughly a month after the first pillar of the factory was built.

(Credit: Chang Yan CY/Weibo)

(Credit: Chang Yan CY/Weibo)

(Credit: Chang Yan CY/Weibo)

Images from a recent flyover of Tesla’s Gigafactory 3 site in Shanghai, China. (Credit: Chang Yan CY/Weibo)

After the initial construction of the Phase 1 area in May, the Gigafactory 3 site will reportedly undergo ground hardening in June. These will be followed by pipeline communication, equipment stationing, equipment commissioning, and trial production runs, which could reportedly start as early as September if no issues arise. Each of these steps is estimated to last around 1-2 months.

Gigafactory 3 is an incredibly important part of Tesla’s global ramp, considering that China represents the world’s largest auto market. Tesla plans to produce affordable versions of the Model 3 sedan and the Model Y SUV in the Shanghai-based facility, which will allow the company to offer the vehicles to the Chinese market without being weighed down by import tariffs. With Gigafactory 3, Tesla can compete on even ground against local electric car manufacturers, hopefully allowing the Silicon Valley-based company to tap into the country’s lucrative auto market.

Tesla Gigafactory 3 on track to break China’s record for fastest factory buildout


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Tesla Model 3 right-hand-drive is coming to the UK market in May, says Elon Musk

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Posted on April 25, 2019


Tesla’s Model 3 online ordering will finally be open to customers in right-hand-drive (RHD) markets between May 1st and 2nd, according to CEO Elon Musk. A mid-2019 release for the RHD variant was predicted over the last year, thus aligning well with Musk’s recent announcement.

Anticipation for Model 3 in right-hand-drive markets has been building since first deliveries of the electric midsize sedan began in left-hand-drive areas of Europe in January. And Tesla’s continued sales ramp in Europe has further increased that enthusiasm. Musk acknowledged the patience exerted by Tesla’s UK buyers in an instance on Twitter last year, even suggesting a used Model S as an alternative in the meantime for future customers.

“Probably mid next year before we are able to make RHD. Wish it could be sooner. Maybe try a Model S, used or new in the meantime? Used S is better than a new 3 imo, unless you want a smaller car,” Musk replied to one inquiry.

Model 3 right-hand-drive (RHD) spotted on a California highway. | Image: u/Mr_Salty_Peanuts
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The Model 3 design included multiple configurations from the start and, thanks to its symmetrical nature, minimal retooling and engineering were needed to begin production on the right-hand-drive version. Tesla has also heeding lessons from the production and delivery processes it underwent with the Model 3 in the US and Europe, altogether spelling out a more predictable purchasing process for its RHD market. Profitability is expected to return for the company in Q3 2019, according to Musk in the Q1 2019 earnings call, and the anticipated demand for RHD variants in green-energy-seeking markets like Australia and the UK may have been factored into Tesla’s considerations.

Progress on the right-hand-drive Model 3 variant has recently been noticed and shared by several eagle-eyed members of the Tesla community. Tesla VIN registrations indicating two right-hand-drive vehicles had been produced were spotted in early March this year followed by a second batch of 14 shortly thereafter. Additionally, a black test RHD was spotted later in the month driving on I-280 with dealer plates in California.

Once online ordering begins, invitations to an official launch event may follow soon after, if past RHD release experience for the Model X serves as an accurate guide for the Model 3. The Standard Range Model 3 is set to arrive in Europe and China later this year, estimated to be approximately 6-8 months away by Elon Musk at the end of February. It would make sense for both the RHD and the Standard Range to be launched together, but nothing has been officially confirmed.

Tesla Model 3 right-hand-drive is coming to the UK market in May, says Elon Musk


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Tesla owners set to win legislative protection from Supercharger blocking in CO

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Posted on April 25, 2019


The Colorado electric vehicle (EV) community is set to benefit from legislation that will fine gas-powered violators for parking in EV charging spaces. The penalty prescribed is $150 plus a $32 surcharge.

The bill, HB19-1298, recently passed the state congressional house and corresponding senate committee, and it now awaits a final vote in the Senate before signature by Colorado Governor Jared Polis. Once enacted, the Centennial State will join ten other states with similar laws, many of them with substantial financial penalties as well.

The legislative charge in Colorado is being led by local Tesla owners feeling especially impacted by the blocking incidents, nicknamed “ICEing” in reference to the internal combustion engines of the violators. Tesla owner, YouTuber, and President of the Denver Tesla Club, Sean Mitchell, took the community’s frustration with electric vehicle owners’ lack of options for dealing with ICEing directly to his local representatives and has been rallying for the case ever since. His efforts were backed by Margaret-Ann Leavitt, vice president of Denver-based National Car Charging, and both advocates were recently featured in a local paper highlighting both their cause and their coming legal victory.

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Internet forums and social media are full of sightings where Superchargers are being blocked by ICE vehicles, some even maliciously as a statement against zero emissions cars overall. Given the benefit of the doubt, however, most instances of gas-powered vehicles blocking EV chargers are a matter of location, convenience, and in places without means of enforcement, unimpeded if a driver chooses to ignore the purpose of a charging location.

The legislation in Colorado doesn’t come without detractors. “This is a solution looking for a problem,” Tim Jackson, CEO of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) representing 260 dealers in the state, was quoted as saying in The Colorado Sun article featuring the bill. He cited the EV chargers located in the CADA parking lot, noting that he could “count on one hand” the number of times an electric car wasn’t able to use them due to ICEing. He failed to mention, though, that the chargers on CADA’s property ban Tesla vehicles specifically from using them, which does not bode well for the association’s supposed neutrality on the issue.

Another argument made by an opposing legislator was the preference EVs would be given over other cars needing special parking treatment such as large vehicles. When smaller vehicles fill those spots despite reservation signs, the larger cars’ options are limited or eliminated from the immediate area. This comparison may be relevant when only focused on the issue of reserved parking space violations, but considering the miles-long distances between Supercharger/EV charger locations vs. locations for big cars to park, the larger vehicle issue doesn’t seem to align with the purpose of the bill at hand.

Tesla itself is aware of the ICEing problem and has recently been spotted testing its own countermeasures. In Taiwan, a member of the Tesla owner community posted a video of a ground lock that used camera-based identification for deactivation to ensure only Tesla vehicles could park in the space without damage. Tesla China was also seen testing a similar device using QR codes for deactivation.

Overall, the growing presence of electric vehicles throughout the US will continue to bring changes to the existing transportation industry as it adapts to their particular needs. As seen in this recent example in Colorado, advocacy may be necessary in cases where local government isn’t immediately aware of the changes needed, but the effort can prove worthwhile.

Tesla owners set to win legislative protection from Supercharger blocking in CO


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Tesla (TSLA) drops in the aftermath of Q1 earnings: Here’s Wall St’s take

Simon Alvarez

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Posted on April 25, 2019


Tesla stock (NASDAQ:TSLA) experienced a 3% drop on Thursday’s intraday as the electric car maker felt the aftermath of its Q1 2019 earnings. The company posted a loss of $702 million or $4.10 a share in the first quarter, which is almost comparable to Q1 2018’s loss of $4.19 per share.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk and the company’s executives explained during the Q1 2019 earnings call that the company’s lower-than-expected performance was due to one-time items and circumstances such as delivery delays for the Model 3 in Europe and China. With Tesla back in the red, here is what Wall Street analysts are now saying.

Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives, a longtime TSLA bull, downgraded Tesla from “Outperform” to “Neutral” while adjusting his price target for the company from $365 per share to a far more conservative $275 per share. Ives also penned a scathing note on Thursday, calling Tesla’s Q1 results as one of the “top debacles” Wedbush has ever seen, and criticizing the company’s executives for their belief that demand and profitability will “magically” return in the coming quarters.

“In our 20 years of covering tech stocks on the Street, we view this quarter as one of the top debacles we have ever seen while Musk & Co. in an episode out of the Twilight Zone act as if demand and profitability will magically return to the Tesla story. Ultimately we believe the company’s guidance is aggressive and management/board is not taking aggressive enough cost-cutting actions and shutting down future endeavors to preserve capital and give a sustained path to profitability for the Street. We no longer can look investors in the eye and recommend buying this stock at current levels until Tesla starts to take its medicine and focus on the reality around demand issues which is the core focus of investors,” Ives wrote.

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Ryan Brinkman of JP Morgan noted that a negative reaction was already expected considering Elon Musk’s previous comments about Tesla’s inability to turn a profit in Q1. Brinkman, who has an “Underweight” rating and a $200 price target on TSLA stock, also pointed out Tesla’s willingness to do a capital raise this year. “Management also seemed less opposed to an equity capital raise, acknowledging “some merit” to the idea, which in our view serves to highlight dilution risk that likely rises after 1Q cash flow and cash balance tracked weaker than JPM and consensus expectations. While 2Q deliveries guidance appears potentially aggressive, the full year outlook for 360-400K implies a further roughly +35% to +45% sequential increase from 1H19 to 2H19, further highlighting the execution risk entailed in meeting the figures that are implied needed to generate positive earnings and cash flow,” he wrote.

Joseph Spak from RBC noted that Tesla’s Q1 numbers were “uglier than expected,” while stating that a capital raise will likely be held this year. Similar to Brinkman, Spak reiterated his “Underweight” rating and $200 price target for Tesla stock. “Elon talked about putting Tesla on a ‘Spartan diet’ and while we don’t doubt the company spent inefficiently in the past, the low capex+R&D and of course the lower sales, are not hallmarks of a hyper-growth company, yet TSLA continues to be valued as one,” he wrote.

Evercore ISI analyst Arndt Ellinghorst also proved bearish on the company, expressing his reservations about Tesla in a segment of CNBC‘s Street Signs. The analyst was skeptical of the demand for Tesla’s vehicles, even noting that the Model S sedan and the Model X SUV are already starting to look “quite old.” “If you claim that demand is huge and unlimited then the key question is, why do you lower your mix? Why do you lower your pricing? I mean the S and the X are quite advanced in any normal life cycle of a product so they would really need a significant refresh in order to restore the pricing. The brand will be less exclusive than it has been in the past,” the Evercore ISI analyst said.

Not all analysts covering the company were bearish after Tesla’s release of its first-quarter results. In a note, Piper Jaffray analyst Alexander Potter opted to look into the coming quarters for a potential recovery, while pointing out that Tesla’s shortcomings in Q1 were the result of several factors. “Although logistical challenges—long with lower transaction prices—had an obvious impact on Q1 profitability, we think this was temporary,” analyst Alexander Potter wrote in a note. “Guidance implies a second-half recovery for both deliveries and margins, and this seems reasonable to us. The first quarter suffered from a particularly nasty combination of headwinds, including seasonality, a big buildup of non-US deliveries (negative for logistics costs and working capital), as well as the expiration of tax incentives in the United States,” Potter wrote.

As of writing, Tesla is trading down -3.35% at $250.00 per share.

Disclosure: I have no ownership in shares of TSLA and have no plans to initiate any positions within 72 hours.

Tesla (TSLA) drops in the aftermath of Q1 earnings: Here’s Wall St’s take


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Tesla’s approach for Full Self-Driving gets validated by Cornell researchers, LiDAR pioneer

Simon Alvarez

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Posted on April 25, 2019


Tesla CEO Elon Musk is not a fan of LiDAR, a key technology used by leaders in the autonomous vehicle market such as Waymo. For Musk, vehicles should be able to drive themselves much like humans, through cameras and a neural network. While Musk’s stance on autonomous driving remains divisive, a recent study from Cornell researchers and comments from a full self-driving pioneer suggests that the Tesla CEO might have been right all along when it comes to using a non-LiDAR approach for autonomous driving.

Elon Musk did not mince his words when he was asked about his opinions on LiDAR during Tesla’s recently-held Autonomy Day. Musk, who actually uses LiDAR for SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, noted that the technology is useful in the right circumstances. It just so happens that autonomous driving is not one of them. Musk even predicted that companies that are deeply committed to LiDAR for full self-driving would eventually abandon the technology. “LiDAR is lame. They’re gonna dump LiDAR, mark my words. That’s my prediction,” he said.

Cornell researchers have finished a study titled Pseudo-LiDAR from Visual Depth Estimation: Bridging the Gap in 3D Object Detection for Autonomous Driving, which will be presented at the 2019 Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition in June. The study discusses a potential breakthrough for autonomous driving using strategically-placed cameras to produce stereoscopic images that can be converted to 3D data. Tesla is using a practically identical strategy in its vehicles, which was demonstrated by Sr. Director of AI Andrej Karpathy during his Autonomy Day presentation.

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What is rather interesting from the findings of the Cornell researchers is that the 3D data generated from vehicles’ stereoscopic cameras were found to be nearly as precise as what laser scanners can generate. The data proved to be without distortion, and it was generated at a fraction of the cost had LiDAR been used. The researchers’ findings and model are still open for a lot of improvement, but the study does show that full self-driving without LiDAR is very much possible.

A stronger stance against LiDAR was also related recently by LiDAR pioneer Anthony Levandowski, founder and CEO of Pronto.ai, a self-driving startup that uses a non-LiDAR approach. Prior to serving as Pronto’s CEO, Levandowski was heavily involved in the development of Waymo’s full self-driving solutions. He later oversaw Uber’s autonomous driving program after his startup, Otto, was acquired by the ride-hailing juggernaut in 2016. During a recent discussion with TechCrunch, the autonomous driving pioneer, who is being accused by Waymo of breaching his confidentiality agreement with the company, described why he opted out of using LiDAR for Pronto.ai’s full self-driving solutions.

“I don’t have any restrictions on not doing LiDAR, but I do have restrictions personally of not doing things that I know are not gonna work. So, in the past, I understood, I could see what we were doing, and basically, back in 2009 or 2010, you could see that the LiDARs didn’t have the performance that you needed because you couldn’t see far enough to actually, safely, have the system react to software. It turns out that even with LiDAR, what’s missing today is not seeing more accurately or further; what’s missing is understanding what is happening to those vehicles around you and being able to predict what the motion is,” he said.

Anthony Levandowski and Elon Musk have not really seen eye to eye in the past, with the Tesla CEO criticizing the LiDAR pioneer for his stance on AI. Levandowski, for his part, reportedly insulted Musk in tweets to Travis Kalanick, Uber’s co-founder, at one point even suggesting that they start giving “physics lessons about stupid s**t Elon says.” The self-driving pioneer nevertheless proved humbled in his recent segment, stating that “a wiser person than me – and I’ll eat some humble pie here – said that LiDAR is a crutch.” When prompted by the host if he agrees with Elon Musk’s stance on autonomous driving, Levandowski admitted that “he’s right.”

Watch Anthony Levandowski’ interview on autonomous driving in the video below.

Tesla’s approach for Full Self-Driving gets validated by Cornell researchers, LiDAR pioneer


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Panasonic could update Japan plant for upgraded Tesla battery production: source

Simon Alvarez

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Posted on April 25, 2019


Panasonic Corp, Tesla’s exclusive battery partner for its existing lineup of vehicles, is reportedly looking to upgrade one of its Japan-based facilities to enable the production of advanced-format battery cells for the electric car maker. The update was recently related to Reuters on Thursday by a source reportedly familiar with the matter.

Tesla and Panasonic have a close working relationship, with the Japanese company producing the battery cells of Tesla’s electric cars. Panasonic’s battery cells for Tesla come from two sources: Gigafactory 1 in Nevada, which produces 2170 cells for the Model 3, and Japan, where the veteran tech company produces 18650 cells for the Model S and Model X.

The news publication’s source, who opted to remain unnamed due to the private nature of Panasonic’s plans, has noted that Panasonic’s updated Japan-based production lines will require only a few minor changes to enable the manufacturing of 2170 cells. Japanese news outlet Nikkan Kogyo, which also reported on the matter, further noted that the upgrades to Panasonic’s Japan-based plant could take place in this financial year ending in March 2020.

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Panasonic has stated that nothing has been decided as of date, though it did confirm that it had completed the installation of new equipment in Gigafactory 1 that allows the facility to have a capacity of 35 GWh. Nevertheless, the Japanese company stated that for now, the newly-installed equipment is yet to enter full operation in Gigafactory 1. Tesla is yet to issue a statement on the recent Nikkan Kogyo report.

The potential transition of Panasonic’s battery plant in Japan to the production of 2170 cells ultimately bodes well for Tesla. Its flagship cars, the Model S sedan and the Model X SUV, were recently given updates, and one of these is more range from their batteries, which are comprised of 18650 cells.

The premise of using the larger, newer 2170 cells for the Model S and X will likely result in even more prominent range improvements. Other features that are made possible with the utilization of 2170 cells, such as the Model 3’s Track Mode, might make their way to the flagship sedan and SUV with a battery upgrade as well.  

Granted, Elon Musk has specifically mentioned in the past that there are no plans to transition the Model S and Model X to 2170 cells, a point he reiterated as recently as the Q4 2019 earnings call back in January. Considering Tesla’s reputation for being a flexible company that is quick to adapt, there is a pretty fair chance that plans for the Model S and Model X’s batteries might have changed over the past few months. 

Panasonic could update Japan plant for upgraded Tesla battery production: source


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