Tesla

Elon Musk, in a new interview with CCTV Finance, said he recommends people visit China as much as they can, citing the country's many attractions. He described taking the bullet train from Beijing to Xi'an as a great experience and praised the train stations. The remarks are drawing attention as Musk continues to speak warmly about China while his companies maintain major business ties there.

Elon Musk has given a new full interview to CMG, China's state broadcaster, covering a broad range of topics. The discussion touches on Xi Jinping, the Tesla Shanghai factory, the Cybercab rollout, the pace of AI breakthroughs, Grok, SpaceX and Tesla data for real-world AI, and Chinese AI models and the compute gap. The interview is drawing attention for Musk's engagement with Chinese leadership and industry at a moment of high US-China tech tensions.

Tesla says it aims to produce 20,000 Optimus humanoid robots per week, but a major obstacle remains the robots' hands, which are proving difficult to engineer at scale. The ambition stands in sharp contrast to current progress, as the company has yet to demonstrate mass manufacturing of the robots, and reliable, dexterous robotic hands are considered one of the hardest problems in robotics.

Tesla has reportedly scaled production of its humanoid robots to hundreds of units per week, with a stated target of surpassing 1,000 robots per week by the end of 2026. Reports note that some Tesla workers are complaining about the push, though the exact nature of their concerns is not detailed.

Elon Musk attended a White House state dinner, and attention has turned to how Tesla shares and SpaceX-related valuations are responding afterward. Barron's reports on the market reaction, with investors watching whether the high-profile Washington appearance has any bearing on Musk's companies. No major share price moves have been confirmed in the report.

The airspace around SpaceX's launch site has been designated a no-fly zone ahead of the planned launch of Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster into space. The restrictions indicate launch preparations are advancing, with the Roadster set to be carried by SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket on its maiden flight, an unusual payload that has drawn widespread attention.

Tesla is reportedly in discussions with Irish authorities to secure approval for its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system in Ireland. The development comes as the European Union has postponed a vote on related regulatory matters, leaving the timeline for the technology's rollout across the region uncertain. The talks signal Tesla's continued push to expand its driver-assistance software into European markets despite regulatory hesitation.

Tesla's electric Semi truck is being weighed against steep diesel prices, with diesel reaching around $6 a gallon in some US markets. Commentators are asking whether high fuel costs will speed up fleet adoption of electric trucks, and whether the Semi's economics now make sense for freight operators.

Speculation is growing that Tesla may be preparing to launch an unsupervised version of its Full Self-Driving system, removing the need for a driver to monitor the car. The topic was raised alongside conversations with Ara, Tesla's Grok-powered AI assistant, which can interact with vehicle systems. Observers are weighing how close Tesla actually is to true driverless operation.

The newly refreshed Tesla Model Y no longer includes a standard driver assistance package, meaning it offers less standard driver-assist equipment than a base Toyota Corolla, which comes with Toyota's Safety Sense suite as standard equipment. The comparison is drawing attention because Tesla built its brand on autopilot-style technology, making the absence of standard driver assistance a notable reversal for the company's best-selling model.

Tesla's humanoid robots remain unable to perform fine manual work, according to a new report on the company's robotics programme. The analysis points to dexterity — the ability to manipulate objects with human-like precision — as a major unsolved obstacle for Tesla's Optimus robots. Observers note that while the machines can walk and perform basic tasks, tasks requiring skilled hand use are still out of reach, suggesting practical deployment in factories and homes is further off than some announcements imply.

A Tesla was caught on camera being swept away by raging floodwater in Connecticut, in an incident widely shared with jokes contrasting it with viral footage of cars floating in China. The clip shows the electric car carried off by fast-moving water, underscoring the danger of driving into flooded roads and drawing attention to severe flooding in the area.