Tag Archives: Tesla

A closer look at Waymo and Tesla

Posted on June 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Slate’s Henry Grabar takes a closer look at how the two main robotaxi ventures differ in approach and likely effect. Waymo is now clocking more than 250,000 paid rides a week, on track to double last year’s total. It currently … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The stakes of the Tesla robotaxi debut in Austin sure are higher now

Posted on June 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck, Elmo. You’re gonna need it. Tesla’s long-awaited entry into the robotaxi market — expected later this month — is coming to Austin, Texas, which has emerged as a key battleground for self-driving technology. CEO Elon Musk wrote in … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The case against rooting for Tesla to fail

Posted on May 28, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

From Inside Climate News. While some people may be pleased to see Tesla and Musk struggle, and most of the damage was self-inflicted, Tesla’s swoon is probably bad for the U.S. EV market. It helps to have a sense of … Continue reading →

Posted in National news, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Tesla robotaxis to arrive in Austin in June

Posted on May 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t use them, I say. Make Elon cry. Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed that the company will have robotaxis on the streets of Austin, Texas, by the end of June. In an interview with CNBC’s David Faber on Tuesday at … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Tesla robotaxis to arrive in Austin in June

Waymo brings its self-driving tech to Toyota

Posted on May 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I just like to keep an eye on the driverless car scene. Alphabet-owned Waymo and Toyota on Tuesday announced a preliminary partnership to explore bringing robotaxi tech to personally-owned vehicles. “The companies will explore how to leverage Waymo’s autonomous technology … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Waymo brings its self-driving tech to Toyota

Waymo robotaxis are now officially available in Austin

Posted on March 8, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

If that’s the sort of thing you’re into. Uber will shift into a new gear in Austin, Texas, on Tuesday when its ride-hailing service will begin dispatching self-driving cars to pick up passengers. The autonomous option is being provided through … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Waymo robotaxis are now officially available in Austin

More on Tesla’s push for robotaxi service in Austin

Posted on February 4, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Always consider the source. Tesla Inc. fleshed out plans to launch a robotaxi business Elon Musk is counting on to help usher in next phase of growth, after the company posted quarterly earnings that missed estimates. The electric-car maker expects … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More on Tesla’s push for robotaxi service in Austin

Tesla seeks permit for robotaxi service in Austin

Posted on January 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Who wants this? Tesla is in early talks with the authorities in the city of Austin, Texas, about its autonomous vehicle technology, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday. A Tesla employee has been in touch with the city’s autonomous vehicle task … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Tesla seeks permit for robotaxi service in Austin

Elon Musk has been busy making Austin dirtier

Posted on December 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Some good reporting from the Wall Street Journal. Elon Musk made big promises to Wall Street about Tesla’s new Model Y SUV in 2022, and the company was ramping up its production in Austin, Texas, when environmental problems threatened to … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Look for driverless cars to get fast-tracked

Posted on December 9, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Something to keep an eye on. President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team plans to create a federal framework for fully self-driving vehicles, Bloomberg reported citing sources. Should new regulations permit vehicles without human controls, it could provide a significant benefit to … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Look for driverless cars to get fast-tracked

A brief robotaxi update

Posted on April 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Cruise is back on the streets, but with human drivers for the time being. Cruise has announced that it’s resuming tests for its fleet of self-driving taxis in Phoenix, Arizona , though not with passengers just yet. The autonomous vehicle … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A brief robotaxi update

Tesla autopilot crash mystery solved

Posted on February 18, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It wasn’t on autopilot after all. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board apparently have solved the mystery of why no one was found behind the steering wheel of a Tesla that crashed near The Woodlands two years ago, killing … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Tesla autopilot crash mystery solved

Tesla to build a factory in Brookshire

Posted on January 21, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck, Brookshire. Tesla appears to be preparing a large new industrial facility west of Houston in a project that further deepens the electric vehicle-maker’s investments in Texas about a year after billionaire Elon Musk moved its headquarters to Austin. … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Tesla to build a factory in Brookshire

Electric trucks and the power grid

Posted on November 21, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Very interesting. Next month, Tesla Inc. plans to deliver the first of its electric Semi trucks—able to haul a full 40 ton-load some 500 miles on a single charge. These massive batteries-on-wheels may accelerate the transition to electrified transport, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Electric trucks and the power grid

Labor complaints filed against Tesla gigafactory in Austin

Posted on November 19, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Some non-Twitter Elon Musk news, in case you felt the need for that. On Tuesday, the Austin-based nonprofit Workers Defense Project announced it was filing complaints with the federal Department of Labor (DOL) alleging wage theft and falsified safety training … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Elon Musk’s underground adventure

Posted on October 22, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Say what now? When it surfaced two months ago, the notion of Teslas whizzing through underground tunnels between San Antonio International Airport and downtown seemed fanciful. Now, there’s a sign the idea may have gained some traction. The Boring Co., … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Tesla crash update

Posted on May 11, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. Federal investigators on Monday released their preliminary assessment of a deadly crash in Spring involving a Tesla, though many details of the incident remain under scrutiny, including whether anyone was in the driver’s seat at the time of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Tesla crash update

Tesla disputes official account of that autopilot crash

Posted on May 1, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t say I’m surprised. Tesla officials are disputing numerous assertions of local police related to a recent deadly crash in the Spring area, reiterating statements by founder Elon Musk that autopilot was not engaged on the vehicle. Further, company officials … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Tesla disputes official account of that autopilot crash

What’s up with that Tesla autopilot crash?

Posted on April 25, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I assume you’ve heard about this. Woodlands Fire department, Montgomery County Hospital District and Cypress Creek EMS were dispatched around 9 p.m. Saturday to a fire in the woods in the Carlton Woods Subdivision on Hammock Dunes Place. Several neighbors … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

It’s the year 2020…

Posted on January 19, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

But where are the flying cars? And hyperloops? And other things we were promised? Uber will deploy flying cars When Uber Technologies Inc. pledged to deliver on a promise of the Jetsons, it gave itself just three years to do so. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on It’s the year 2020…

Take a Tesla to Austin

Posted on January 30, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Because sure, why not? Want to ride in a Tesla? For $250, you can be chauffeured on a one-way trip between Houston and Austin. Dallas is just $400 away. Austin-based ElecTrip is billed as an energy-efficient alternative to private flights … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Take a Tesla to Austin

Third time for Tesla

Posted on March 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

If at first (and second) you don’t succeed… Tesla is not giving up at the Texas Capitol. In fact, it’s getting more ambitious. Instead of looking to create any kind of carve-out that favors the high-end electric car maker, legislation … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Tesla tries another approach to getting access to Texas

Posted on June 4, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

If at first you don’t succeed, change your strategy. Tesla Motors’ Lone Star ambitions won the blessing of the Texas GOP at the party convention in Dallas this month, paving the path towards a possible end to the three years … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Tesla takes its auto dealership fight nationwide

Posted on April 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

There’s more than one way to get into a market. Tesla Motors Inc. hopes to capture mainstream auto buyers with its Model 3, an electric car it [recently unveiled] at a price about the same as the average gasoline-powered vehicle, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Tesla takes its auto dealership fight nationwide

Dan Wallach: 2016 Electric Power Usage Update

Posted on February 21, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Note: From time to time, I solicit guest posts from various individuals on different topics. While I like to think I know a little something about a lot of things, I’m fortunate to be acquainted with a number of people … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Dan Wallach: 2016 Electric Power Usage Update

Still more hyperloops

Posted on February 7, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

They had a hyperloop design contest at Texas A&M: In the end, Elon Musk couldn’t resist showing up to the competition he helped inspire. The billionaire SpaceX CEO made a surprise appearance at the end of the Hyperloop pod design … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Still more hyperloops

Abbott sides with auto dealers

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, Tesla. Giving a nod to long-established franchised auto dealerships, Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas doesn’t need to carve out a loophole in its laws that would allow Tesla to sell its high-end electric cars directly to consumers. “Texas has … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

More hyperloops

Posted on June 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Gonna be the future soon. Not content with simply sending men to Mars and conquering the automotive industry, billionaire Elon Musk has plans for a tubular transportation system that would dominate the globe. The Hyperloop has been considered closer to … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on More hyperloops

Dan Wallach: 2015 Electric Power Usage Update

Posted on May 5, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Note: From time to time, I solicit guest posts from various individuals on different topics. While I like to think I know a little something about a lot of things, I’m fortunate to be acquainted with a number of people … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Tesla going nowhere

Posted on May 5, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

We have entered the period of the legislative calendar where bills that have not been voted out of committee or aren’t scheduled for a vote begin to get pronounced dead. Here’s the Tesla bill’s obituary. A crusade waged by Tesla … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Tesla makes its pitch

Posted on April 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a start. At a packed committee hearing Monday evening, advocates for Tesla Motors told a panel of Texas House members that it was time to bring state car sales laws into the 21st century and allow the company to … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Tesla tries again

Posted on February 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

They’ve brought more firepower to the fight this time, by which I mean “more lobbyists”, but we’ll see if they can break through. Let the car haggling resume at the Texas Capitol. A group of state lawmakers on Thursday filed … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Tesla tries again

Hyperloops

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a hyperloop! Entrepreneur Elon Musk announced Thursday that he wants to build a “test track” for his idea for a futuristic high-speed transportation system called the Hyperloop, adding … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Hyperloops

Tesla brings the lobbyists

Posted on December 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Nothin’ but good times ahead if you’re a Republican-connected lobbyist, thanks to Tesla and the auto dealers. Locked in a brawl with auto dealers, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk is unleashing some of the most powerful lobbyists and consultants in … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Tesla brings the lobbyists