Tag Archives: tesla

16 February 2023
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AI, Security

Instruction for hacking an electric car

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What Happens When Hackers Hijack Your Car ... While You're in It · TeskaLabs Blog

Our cars are getting smarter from generation to generation, however, unfortunately, this also applies to thieves who intend to steal them. Hackers have already found vulnerabilities in electric vehicles, and their attacks can have serious consequences. As electric vehicles become more sophisticated and connected to the Internet, it is expected that the risk of hacking and cyber attacks will only increase.

One of the main problems with electric vehicles is that they are equipped with numerous sensors and controllers connected to the Internet, which makes them vulnerable to cyber attacks. Hackers could potentially gain remote access to these systems and manipulate them in a way that could cause serious harm, such as disabling brakes or changing steering. In some cases, hackers could even take control of the entire car, putting the driver and passengers at risk.

Another problem is that hackers can attack charging stations for electric vehicles. These stations are also connected to the Internet and often use wireless connectivity to connect to electric vehicles. Hackers can potentially gain access to these systems and manipulate them.

Recently, a security expert discovered a way that allows two attackers to unlock, start and drive away a Tesla Model Y electric car in a matter of seconds.

Hackers specializing in hacking Tesla electric vehicles have identified a vulnerability that allows them to hack NFC relays. However, not everything is so simple: in order to hack the system, thieves need to work in pairs and get close to the NFC chip or smartphone. Josep Pi Rodriguez of the Seattle-based computer security firm IOActive found that attackers could use Tesla’s key technology called NFC (Near field Communication) to gain control of a vehicle, designed to give car owners the ability to access them by touching an NFC card to the middle rack. Rodriguez found that if one thief approaches a critically small distance to the driver when he gets out of the car, for example, to a store or bar, and the other is standing by the car, it will be possible to open the door and start the car.

  • Here’s how it works: a thief standing at the car uses a special device to convince the car to send a “call” to the driver’s NFC card, but then transmits this call via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to a mobile phone belonging to a second thief, who is watching the driver at this time. The second thief keeps this phone near the driver’s pocket or bag where the NFC card is stored, and when this NFC card responds, its signal is transmitted to the thief standing by the car via a mobile phone.

Tesla previously required drivers using an NFC card (not a keychain) to unlock their cars to place the card between the front seats in order to turn on the transmission. But after a recent software update, this requirement has been lifted. Tesla also offers the option of using a PIN code, which means that car owners must enter a four-digit code before starting the car, however, a fairly small number of owners activate it. In the end, even if this additional protection prevents thieves from leaving by car, they will still be able to use the hacking method described above to open the doors and steal any valuables inside the cabin.

To solve these problems, automakers and cybersecurity experts are working to develop stricter security measures for electric vehicles. This includes the introduction of more advanced encryption technologies, the development of secure firmware and software, as well as regular updates and patching of systems to eliminate any vulnerabilities found.

Electric car owners can also take measures to protect their cars from cyber attacks. This includes regularly updating software and firmware, using strong passwords and two-factor authentication, and not using public Wi-Fi networks when accessing the Internet from their cars.

Thus, as electric vehicles become more popular and widely used, the risk of cyber attacks and hacking is expected to increase.

This is a serious problem that could have serious consequences for electric vehicle owners, automakers and the general public. It is important that automakers and cybersecurity experts work together to develop stricter security measures for electric vehicles, as well as educate owners on the steps they can take to protect their cars from cyber attacks.

Sources: https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/economy/2022/1/12/teenager-says-he-remotely-hacked-into-more-than-25-teslas

https://www.indiatimes.com/amp/technology/news/tesla-cars-may-be-unlocked-and-hacked-using-bluetooth-devices-researchers-find-569861.html

https://www.entrepreneur.com/business-news/this-hacker-exposed-a-new-way-to-steal-a-model-y-tesla/435323

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19 December 2022
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AI

Is Tesla’s autopilot killing people?

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Подтверждено: по вине «автопилота» Tesla погибло уже четыре человека - Hi-News.ru


If we start talking about statistics, then it all started much earlier. But it was in 2018 that 21 people died due to accidents caused by the Tesla autopilot (more than in previous years), next year the number of autopilot victims increased to 50 people. Someone will say that then the autopilot was “raw” and did not work properly, but unfortunately the deaths continue. In 2021, it is also possible to state deaths as a result of driving a Tesla with automatic control. In April of this year, 2 people in the United States crashed a Tesla Model S when the electric car was controlled using autopilot. And one of the most recent serious accidents occurred in November of this year, when a Tesla accelerated to 200 kilometers per hour, killed three road users and finally crashed into the stage, during which the driver was hospitalized. The electric car did not react to the brake pedal. Presumably, there was a software glitch in the electric car. Representatives of Tesla expressed their willingness to assist the investigation and said they would actively provide the necessary assistance.

Elon Musk acknowledged the problem

Only in August 2021, Tesla developer Elon Musk admitted that there were serious problems with the operation of Tesla’s autopilot. At the same time, Musk clarified that version 9.2 is problematic, and allegedly in 9.3 the problems will be fixed. But people were dying in Tesla even before version 9.2 was released…

In defense of Autopilot and Tesla

On the one hand, Tesla continues to kill people, but on the other hand, drivers are guilty of not following the instructions. The instructions say that the driver must constantly keep his hands on the steering wheel and, if necessary, in the event of a dangerous situation on the road, immediately take control. In other words, owners are informed that it is impossible to rely entirely on Tesla’s autopilot.

Criticism of autopilot

On the other hand, if a company that aspires to be called the best electric car developer in the world and dictates the fashion in the electric car industry creates an autopilot function, then it should work flawlessly. Otherwise, what is the point of autopilot if it needs to be controlled 100% of the time? Whether with or without autopilot, the driver must constantly monitor the road. But then why do we need such an autopilot? Or are we still seeing a demo version, some developments, but why did they then come out with a finished product?
Usually, automakers recall entire batches of cars if something does not work correctly, and here the node that is responsible for the safety of the driver, passengers and other road users does not work correctly! At the same time, Musk does not even think of programmatically disabling autopilot, and moreover, does not call for refusing to use it. Saying that the next version will be better, he directly appeals to the owners of Tesla with a request to pray for their lives and wait for a miracle update.

This is not the first time the author of the Dan O’down Media channel has criticized Tesla, including for their desire to call the car control assistance system “autopilot”. He conducted an experiment, proving that Full-Self Driving is capable, even in simple conditions, of causing serious injuries or even death to the latter when a car and a pedestrian collide. The test was conducted in clear weather, the car was moving strictly in a straight line. A dummy of a child was installed on the Tesla path, which was static, and did not move or appear suddenly. In all three cases, the autopilot failed to recognize the obstacle and crashed into a human figure. Moreover, the system did not even attempt to slow down, which indicates the “blindness” of Full-Self Driving in this case. Or about a factory marriage?

Tesla “sees” the world around it with the help of stereo cameras that transmit a picture of what is happening “here and now”, and does not rely on pre-built 3D maps of the area. Well, Dan O’downe’s experience proved that the Tesla system has a serious flaw. He recalled that more than one hundred thousand Tesla cars drive on the roads, whose drivers completely rely on Full-Self Driving. Tesla may make a mistake “at the most inopportune moment” on those streets where children go to school.

Автомобили Tesla убивают людей», — за эти слова Huawei уволила главу отдела беспилотного вождения

Here are two more examples of Tesla’s autopilot does not work properly.

Last month, two cases were recorded when Tesla cars provoked an accident on the motorway at night. Both cases ended with the death of motorcyclists. It turned out that in some situations, automatic driving systems incorrectly determine the road situation, and do not “see” motorcycles.
It is assumed that an automated driver assistance system is to blame for both accidents. In both cases, the motorcyclists were riding in front of the cars, and the car simply caught up with the motorcycle and crashed into it.
Michael Brooks, executive director of the Center for Automotive Safety, called on the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) to recall the Tesla autopilot because it does not recognize motorcyclists, ambulances or pedestrians. “It’s already clear to me and to many Tesla owners that this thing is not working properly, will not meet expectations and is endangering innocent people on the roads,” he said.

The error of the autopilot or the driver is up to you, but so far the cases and statistics indicate that there are clearly questions with autopilot. As a Tesla car is not bad, compact and eco-friendly, but is it worth trusting the car with your life, taking your hands off the steering wheel and enjoying the ride?

Sources: https://eco-drive.biz/avtopilot-tesla-ubivaet-lyudej/ https://impakter.com/tesla-autopilot-crashes-with-at-least-a-dozen-dead-whos-fault-man-or-machine/ https://www.tesladeaths.com/index-amp.html

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3 December 2022
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Business, Sharing economy

Tesla Semi Truck Chaning the Transportation Industry and the World

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Back in 2017, Tesla Semi Truck was presented by the CEO of Tesla Elon Musk as an innovation in the transportation industry. Again sticking to the idea of a sustainable future, the company had an idea to create a semi-truck that would be eco-friendly and simultaneously outweigh the performance of usual combustion engine-based lorries in every possible way. For example, it was stated that the vehicle would be capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in mere 20 seconds with a full load, which is claimed to be 37 tons! Though, 5 years passed before one of the first such lorries would be released on the market. Recently, tesla has presented ready trucks labeled with Pepsi-Cola logos.

Tesla Live. Tesla Motors official Twitter page.

Yet, the data regarding the credibility of Tesla’s previous claims was not provided. However, if they turn out to be true or at least 50% true, the product could revolutionize the transportation network. Although the cost that a company would have to bear in order to purchase one of these is unknown, the fact that the vehicle is electric most likely provides a possibility for an immense economy in terms of fuel expenses for logistics businesses, especially considering the ones like FedEx or UPS. Just to compare, the average fuel consumption of a semi-truck in 2022 as found by research at Bridgestone Mobility Solutions is around 30 to 40 liters of diesel. “According to the Spanish observatory of road freight transport costs report published in October 2019 by the Ministerio de Fomento, an articulated vehicle with a payload of 25,000 kg that travels around 120,000 km annually will have a fuel expenditure of more than 40,700 euros” (Bridgestone Mobility Solutions B.V., n.d.). Meaning that in just a year of the vehicle’s exploitation the costs for its fuel would come close if not overcome a third of the vehicle’s own monetary worth. That’s why an electric Semi Truck would shift the whole industry. The expenses connected to fuel would diminish by thousands of euros and the potential losses that would be connected to slower recharge times would be equalized by the fact the vehicle is moving simply faster. Even if the vehicle costs more in the beginning, considering the long-term perspective it would be cheaper for companies to use them.

Another important factor to look at is that the ownership of a such vehicle by a company would promote the company itself, and would also contribute positively to its Corporate Social responsibility. Moreover, the environmental impact would decrease with time. Sounds like a perfect solution to many problems at a time:

  • The companies are interested in these semis because it is financially beneficial for them.
  • The human race overall is interested in decreasing the negative influence we put on nature.
  • The economies are interested in quicker and cheaper transportation.

Just by the provision of a single new product, a revolution in an industry might make a shift in the whole world’s operation. Nonetheless, as it often happens, the beautiful picture portrayed on the internet and on TV may not be so true. The fact stays that the majority of electricity that is produced in the world still comes from coal. In other words, if we would transfer to electric trucks the majority of energy used by them would still come from a source that destroys the climate. Moreover, another threat that electric trucks can bring to play is the massive batteries that have to be carried in order to overcome more than 800 km on a single charge. The way in which batteries are produced is not fully eco-friendly and the largest issue with them is recycling when their lifetime passes. There yet was not invented a sustainable way to do that.

In conclusion, the Tesla Semi Trucks seem like an innovative product that should set a new trend in the logistics sector. With time, it might stimulate other car manufacturers to develop an electric semi truck of their own, thus spurring the growth and competition in the space, that in turn could lead to a reduction in prices for such transport. Furthermore, with the global transition to renewable sources of energy, the vehicles would not only preserve millions of dollars for corporations but would also save millions of lives suffering from global warming.

Share your thoughts on Tesla Semis and its impact on the environment and the economy below! I will be happy to hear different ideas 😀

References:

Average and Median MPG For All Types of Pickup Trucks. (2022, August 22). GizmoDriver. Retrieved December 3, 2022, from https://gizmodriver.com/average-and-median-mpg-for-all-types-of-pickup-trucks/

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18 November 2022
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Could Twitter Go Bankrupt By Their Yearly $13 Million Food Service?

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Photo illustration of Elon Musk and the blue Twitter bird logo.
Credit: Muhammed Selim Korkutata/Anadolu Agency via Getty

New controversial informations are leaked, after the fresh acquisition of Twitter Inc. by CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company – Elon Musk

Because of his well known leadership, managing, and very harsh working conditions new contradictions are coming out to the light of the day concerning the new order set up in Twitter San Francisco HQ.

After firing top managers and workers of Twitter Inc. Elon Musk now raised an issue about Twitter’s big expenditure on employees’ lunches. It is stated that Twitter is spending $13 million on food service every year. Ms Tracy Hawkins, a former VP of Work transformation, who ran a food program, stated that Twitter spent between $20-$25 a day per person, so that they can work properly throughout the whole day. She also stated that attendance rate was ranging between 20-50% in offices.

There is a lot of controversy and hate directed to Elon Musk, for taking away ‘free’ food from workers, and forcing them to pay for it. Many people resigned from the jobs right after Twitter Inc. was taken over.

However, I personally do not agree with those statements. Even though Mr. Musk is known for squeezing last juices of their workers, while saving as much as possible, I find his activities very appropriate. During 2021, Twitter generated a revenue of $5 billion, which was an increase of +35% comparing to year 2020 – it was mainly a revenue from advertising. Even though Twitter generated such great revenue, it reported a net loss of $221 million. In 2020 the amount of loss Twitter generated was $1.1 billion.

Twitter’s net income from 1st quarter 2012 to 2nd quarter 2022 (in million U.S. dollars)

The real question is….. Isn’t it better to cut unnecessary costs and make such big and good platform actually profitable and successful? In my personal opinion, the approach of Elon Musk is just the right path of accomplishing this goal. Of course, serving a free food in San Francisco HQ most likely was great for the workers, very ethical, as well as it probably gave them an energy to work, which was then put on an overall performance of the company. However, the attendance rate, which former VP mentioned was around 20-50% in reality – was just below 10% (25% was at its highest). Here is Musks response:

It is said that many Twitter workers just prefer to work remotely, which makes the HQ food service even more useless. I highly agree with Musks response, as his reaction to the whole situation. By reducing the food service in Twitter’s San Francisco HQ, the company will not only reduce the amount of wasted food, but moreover, save a lot of money, which could be invested into further development of the company as well as decrease the final loss (and maybe eventually make Twitter Inc. a profitable company longterm).

Evaluating, I think that without Elon Musk and his acquisition, Twitter Inc. could possibly go bankrupt in future, with such losses, which were noted more years than profits. Also, charging workers for food service may bring additional revenue, which the can be invested into lots of other sectors of the company.

_____________________________

Thank you for reading through this article, before going, I have a few questions which I would love you to answer! Leave a comment and let me know your point of view on that!

  1. What is your opinion on this whole situation?
  2. Should a company such as Twitter Inc. provide free food service to their customers?
  3. How will you see the future of Twitter under Elon Musks’ ownership?

sources:

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/elon-musk-says-twitter-spends-13-million-every-year-on-food-service-at-its-headquarters-3517594

https://www.statista.com/statistics/299119/twitter-net-income-quarterly/

https://www.businessofapps.com/data/twitter-statistics/

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19 October 2022
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Tesla’s new Optimus – will humanoids become an essential part of our households?

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In September 2021, Tesla announced that they are planning to build the company’s first humanoid robot and this September, on AI Day 2022 we could see the results coming to life. On the 20th of September 2022, Elon Musk presented the Optimus prototype – made of only Tesla-designed components.  

Before Optimus was presented, the company showed off a different robot, doing simple tasks like watering plants, carrying boxes, walking, and picking objects, however it was not clarified if the robot was moving on its own or was being operated remotely. It would be utterly impressive progress since last year, except the issue is that the humanoid prototype which Elon is planning to distribute is far behind the experimental robot they showcased, when it comes to abilities.  

The unveiled prototype is unable to even walk yet, however, Elon Musk declares that Optimus’s capabilities will be, ,,mind-blowing’’ in 5 to 10 years and aims to mass-produce them at a relatively low cost of less than 20 000$ to make the bots easily accessible to as many people as they can. 

All because Tesla wants to make these humanoids an essential part of peoples’ households, in aim to save them the time of doing mundane, everyday tasks. However a question arises – do people really need a humanoid to walk their dog and pick their groceries? And even if they do, why humanoids? It would be far easier to develop a household robot, that is not necessarily human-like shaped.  

Some sceptics also say that this is just another huge promise from Elon Musk, much like his autonomous cars. However considering Tesla’s recent focus on AI, it is probable that we will see a breakthrough in this technology in a couple of years.

Tesla is set to unveil its 'Optimus' humanoid robot this month. What should we expect? | Euronews

Sources :

https://www.reuters.com/technology/elon-musk-set-showcase-teslas-humanoid-robot-after-delay-2022-09-30/

https://www.ft.com/video/51e4bfd4-9d50-43a7-afa1-53030dcf65fc

https://www.ft.com/content/ea6b6c12-9931-4e8f-9b9d-61e5c58fdfb8 

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18 October 2022
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Elon Musk investigated by feds because of $44 Billion Twitter deal

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Credit: Britta Pedersen / Getty Images

New informations are shared about Elon Musk and his $44 billion takeover deal of Twitter Inc.

CEO & founder of Tesla Inc. has been sued after cancelling his Twitter Inc. purchase. He proposed a price of $54.20 per share back in April, which he now has to fulfill, as Twitter’s lawsuit made in July forces Mr. Musk to close his deal with a proposed price per share.

Because of Elon Musks’ decision, Tesla shares decreased significantly, as CEO of Tesla sold around 9 billion$ of company’s shares, as a portion of money which would be used to finalize the deal.

It is said that Musks’ lawyers refused to hand over documents to Twitter, which they reffered to as a “investigative privilege“.

After few months, in September, all documents have been handed in – including a specific “drafts of a 13 May email to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) – the American regulator which enforces the law against market manipulation.” as BBC news article states. There were also documents handed to FTC – Federal Trade Comission (which mission is to promote “antitrust law and consumer protection”).

However, Alex Spiro, who is Elon Musks’ attorney, stated that “Twitter’s court filing was a “misdirection“.”

He stated that “It is Twitter’s executives that are under federal investigation” which suggests that it is not about Elon Musk. After the statement, Twitter Inc. did not wanted to leave a comment.

Eventually, Elon Musk decided to get back with continuing and finalizing the deal. In early October, Twitter’s shares increased from ~42$ per share, to 52$, which is equivalent to 23% – as a result of Musks’ decision.

Thank you for reading through this article. Let me know in the comments if you think this whole ”Twitter vs. Musk” deal is a set-up or just a speculation? Also, are you on a side of Elon Musk or Twitter as a whole company? How would you like this whole situation to finish?

Sources:

https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/twtr/charts?mod=mw_quote_advanced

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-63254883

https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/elon-musk-under-federal-investigation-tied-twitter-deal-twitter-court-filing-2022-10-13/

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-04/musk-proposes-to-proceed-with-twitter-deal-at-54-20-a-share

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28 April 2021
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Business

Tesla announced that there was someone in the driver’s seat during the Texas crash.

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Recently, there have been an uproar about a fatal crash involving two men (59 years old and 69 years old) and a Tesla vehicle. Tesla’s stocks took a dip and there was a lot of speculation about the ability of Tesla’s self-driving systems. It is commonly known that all of the safety systems in cars can be easily exploited, but that isn’t a design flaw – that is humans exploiting their own safety. The situation got pretty heated quickly and was covered by media immediately blaming Tesla. It was even covered here, a post by a fellow student Maciek Głazek, where he explains more about the crash itself.

New details on fatal Tesla crash raise questions about ...
photo from: https://www.today.com/video/new-details-on-fatal-tesla-crash-raise-questions-about-safety-of-driverless-cars-110504517899

According to a discussion that happened on an Monday’s earning call Q1 2021 the company’s CEO Elon Musk stated that from the logs that they have gathered so far has shown that the vehicle was not in autopilot and that there was no Full Self-Driving option purchased in the crashed Tesla model. On top of that, Tesla’s VP Lars Moravy stated that the all of the seatbelts (after the crash) were unbuckled and that the steering wheel was deformed, indicating that someone was in the driver’s seat.

This is surprising, because the local authorities were quick to announce that they are 100% certain there was no one in the drivers seat. Tesla continues to argue that media is covering them unfairly, as the company is newsworthy and brings a lot of clicks.

Unfortunately the SD card from the car couldn’t be retrieved and the situation may be subject to change. Be on the lookout as authorities and the company announce their stand.

resources:

https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/26/22404677/tesla-texas-crash-driver-seat-earnings-musk

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/04/26/tesla-texas-crash/

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/tesla-says-someone-likely-in-driver-e2-80-99s-seat-in-texas-crash/ar-BB1g50iB

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20 April 2021
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Tesla, fatal accidents and false advertising

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Unfortunately on the 18 of April 2021 two people died after crushing into a tree in fatal accident in Woodlands, Texas. The car that these two people were in, was a Tesla and there was no-one in the drivers seat. This crash has sparked a discussion whether Tesla is false advertising its cars driving abilities or at least whether their naming scheme is misleading. So far Tesla denied that the vehicle was operating either in Full Self Driving mode, because the vehicle didn’t have an active subscription to this system, but they also said that according to the cars data logs autopilot was also not engaged. People tried disproving that the vehicle could be operating in these modes by showing that if you unbuckle the seatbelts, the car warns the driver and eventually pulls over, as it is shown in this short video:

Video showing how Tesla behaves after you unbuckle the drivers seatbelt

What the video fails to show is that this entire system can be extremely easily cheated by just bucking the seatbelt behind your back. By then the seats weight sensor is disengaged (it foolishly assumes that when the seatbelt us buckled there is someone sitting there). The last thing that separates you from “driving” from any other seat is cheating the sensors embedded in the steering wheel, which has been proven to be extremely easy (for example by hanging a water bottle on the steering wheel).

Of course, Tesla shouldn’t be responsible for their clients stupidity, but they should prevent them from exploiting these systems, especially this easily. Although now, on their website Tesla is explicitly saying that their Autopilot and Full Self Driving systems are only drivers assistance and so called “hands-on” (the steering wheel) systems, why name them as if they allowed you to leave everything up to the car, when this is clearly not the case. Even recently, in emails to California DMV, Tesla has admitted its supposedly Full Self Driving system, that is only available to 2000 beta drivers, is only working as a level 2 (hands on) autonomous system (in a scale from level 0 to level 5). In my opinion all of the Tesla’s “autonomous” systems in their offerings are just Advanced Drivers Assistance Systems, and should be Advertised as such – everywhere. The naming scheme is also highly suggestive, indicating the cars can do much more than they actually can.

Elon Musk has defended the name “Autopilot” saying that on airplanes, there also is an autopilot system and the pilot still has to be attentive and ready to take over. I think this argument is invalid, because pilots (especially commercial) are actually trained to use these features and have to have a certain amount of experience in order to be able to operate such machines.

Although for now the official states that the car was not operating in any of Teslas autonomous modes, how was it even operating if there was no-one in the drivers seat? Assuming that the car actually had autopilot engaged, this is not the first accident involving a Tesla car operating in this mode. Despite the statistics saying that Tesla’s autopilot is almost 10 times safer that “average” vehicle, with one accident every 4.19 million miles traveled with autopilot engaged vs one crash in every 484,000 miles for human-operated cars. Even though the number is impressive it could still be easily improved, if all of people driving Teslas understood what the systems that their cars are equipped with really were.

Stay safe, and remember to always pay attention to the road, whether you are using ADAS systems or not. Don’t text and drive. Stay hydrated.

Sources:

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-04-19/tesla-on-autopilot-kills-two-where-are-the-regulators

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tesla-crash-texas-leads-2-192437979.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAANNqmvFndKvefa11nrNSutIEtRYcKe0cBs3MiCvK5pUa4ut6f6FRN49hxcCd8hh2YmAmnOi-AMNa38sp_zUNterB_iwgMblh1VcHNy3cIUJOO9WPB7OnyugCswP5vkt4swfevVASDCE74Ac3BRgO3oVo5vAEfQ1LIAbM4D8aEfG9

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/04/19/business/tesla-fatal-crash-no-one-in-drivers-seat/index.html

https://www.thedrive.com/tech/39647/tesla-admits-current-full-self-driving-beta-will-always-be-a-level-2-system-emails

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16 February 2021
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Devices

Jaguar and Land Rover are to Refuse from Internal Consumption Engines in 2025

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It is generally known nowadays rapid technology changes are becoming closely related to the world automobile market. Electric cars are the ones that are expected to replace common cars operated on conventional petrol, at least we are moving to it with giant strides. One of the first companies that made its bet for electric transport is Tesla, and they have become the leader of the market so far. However, many other associations saw the great success of Elon Musk’s company and decided to keep up.

One of those companies is the “Jaguar Land Rover” corporation. The British company announced their plan to leave the “petrol” market till 2025 and start their own production in the electric car industry. For the next 5 years, the company is to move Jaguar as well as their prime-segment models into fully eco-engines. It is worth noticing Jaguar has already produced an electric model (Jaguar I-Pace) which has a great success in the electric-cars market. Anyway, it is hard to imagine an electric version of Jaguar PROJECT-8.

Also “Jaguar Land Rover” company is planning to introduce six fully electric Land Rover models by the end of 2025, having no electric cars in their model-list right now. The first electric Land Rover is planned for 2024. It is also remarkable that 60% of Land Rover cars to be sold will be equipped with electric power units till the end of 2030. Till the same time, all Land Rover models will be presented in both variants – fully electric and with an internal consumption engine.

Besides, the company is planning to reject using diesel engines in all Jaguar and Land Rover models till the end of 2026.

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18 January 2019
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The future of gaming – Teslasuit

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Probably most of you are familiar with VR. Not that long ago, we could see it only in movies, but nowadays thanks to Oculus Rift, it started becoming a more mainstream option of entertainment. Well, now imagine that there’s a device that enables you to not only see everything as if you were there, but also to feel it. That’s what Tesla’s new invention is all about.

Teslasuit was presented at CES 2019, where influencers and journalists could even try out the prototype version. It is a new generation of smart clothing. Moreover, it is a full body suit, made from waterproof neoprene, filled with multiple censors, which right now add up to 68. Since it’s waterproof, it is fully washable. Just put it into your washing machine and enjoy the fresh smell. Additionaly, Tesla’s spokesperson stated that by the time that they will hit the market, number of censors will be even higher. Although all of this information may not seem as impressive for you at this moment, let me explain briefly what can it do.

This clothing with the use of haptic feedback can simulate the feeling of touch, bumping into a wall and even getting kicked or punched. It seems pretty futuristic, doesn’t it? Of course everything is done with safety measures, so that it doesn’t hurt you. You can even adjust the power of the sensations, if it’s too much for you, but that’s not all. Let’s ignore for a second the ‘less important’ fact that it measures your biometric data like heart rate and how do you feel overall. It actually can make you feel different temperatures.

Now imagine, that you play Call of Duty or some other FPS game and you have a mission located somewhere in Siberia with -30°C, there are plenty of enemies nearby trying to kill you and you can feel it all! The temperature, bullets hitting you, touching the ground, your weapon, simply everything. Of course it won’t be as real as the real pain or temperature, but it definitely will be different and much better than sitting in front of a computer or a TV on your couch.  I don’t know how do you feel about it, but to me it seems amazing. 

 

It provides the sensations, anything from stroke to hard impact … but the hard impact we’ve specifically limited to the own wearer’s strength, not to damage any tissue or anything, to keep it safe.” (Digital Trends).

 

Imagine the possibilities that this equipment creates. In my opinion, it can even help with obesity to some extent. All of the gamers in order to keep playing, will have to burn all of this calories by moving inside of their houses constantly. That’s definitely not something that you can do, while being overweight. Your actual physical abilities will determine, how good you are at certain games.

Although I’m really enthusiastic about this kind of gaming, let’s talk about some other aspects of this technology, since playing games just isn’t for everyone. In future, it may enable us to for example go explore different countries or watch a NBA game, from the comfort of our own house, just for few bucks.  It can even be some form of communication between friend’s and family. Imagine that you are in a long-distance relationship. This technology will enable you to not only talk face-to-face, but feel the presence of your partner. This just blows my mind.

Here you can see a quick video of how people reacted to Teslasuit at CES 2019

It all sounds amazing, but nothing there’s always a catch. Well, the device itself isn’t so cheap. It may cost several thousand of dollars and it’s only wholesaled. The price will probably go down as the interest of the product will go up in future, but it definitely isn’t a product for everyone, as for now. Still, in my opinion it’s totally worth it, if you can lands your hands on it.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments. 

 

Reference list:

1. Miranda, F. (2019, January 13). The Teslasuit could turn Black Mirror’s terrifying ‘Playtest’ into a reality. https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/teslasuit-experience-ces-2019/

2. null. (2018, December 31).The TeslaSuit, VR, and Gaming Potential. https://www.gamedesigning.org/gaming/teslasuit/

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