Gail has a bachelor of art in film/radio/tv and a bachelor of science in nursing
She has worked for years caring for all ages of people with many diagnoses in over 5 hospitals and schools around the texas hill country
Originally from north dakota, she is now based in austin and writes about sustainable energy for the website she created ‘What’s up Tesla’ and 'What's up Twitter' and maintains her nursing practice
(Austin, Texas) In this episode, Guest Ash Martian, a Tesla investor, computer engineer, FSD beta tester, and friend, comes along to explain details about the importance of attentiveness while using FSD beta.
FSD on the Freeway at Night
Using FSD beta on freeway journeys means increased safety. Enjoy the Podcast with this special guest, who has a passion for going to Mars one day. Find Ash on the X app at https://x.com/1stMarsColonist
Gail’s Tesla Podcast #4 FSD on freeway featuring guest Ash Martian. We discuss the current FSD and upcoming Version 11. Come drive with us to Georgetown, Texas. pic.twitter.com/3TTBCxJtCY
Gail Alfar, author. Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – All Rights Reserved. My goal as an author and podcaster is to support Tesla (the most American vehicle manufacturer) and Elon Musk in both making life better on Earth for humans and becoming a space-fairing civilization.
Welcome back to What’s Up Tesla. I hope you are doing great. I live in Austin, Texas and this week we are recovering from a severe ice storm. Many people are still without power as I write this article. Austin’s power relied on having a stable connection to the Texas grid and when ice layers built up on the Live Oak trees it caused banches to break and this led to downed power lines. Yes, many of our power lines are still above the ground and one solution would be for the city to install below-the-ground power lines. Another solution is for large apartment buildings and housing developments to become self-sufficient through the use of solar power backed by battery storage (Tesla Solar and Powerwalls).
Sometimes instead of talking about all these problems, I like to kick back and talk about a future with Cybertruck! This article explores why it’s so good, in fact, it’s mentally healthy to anticipate the delivery of Cybertruck.
When can we expect Cybertruck to be delivered?
Several indications point to Cybertruck deliveries later this year with rapid scaled production in 2024. I say this because Elon Musk has extraordinary talent at scaling production and he led Tesla in scaling Model Y production in the USA, China and Berlin. His investment in Cybertruck is massive and the 9000 ton Giga Press at Tesla in Austin built exclusively for Cybertruck castings is just a fraction of that investment.
Tesla’s 9000 ton Cybertruck Giga Press (shown here being assembled) rests in Austin at Gigafactory Texas. Photo courtesy Joe Tegtmeyer.
“Giga Texas is a $10B+ investment over time, generating at least 20k direct & 100k indirect jobs” – Elon Musk on Twitter
Why anticipating delivery of Cybertruck is good for us
In a statement from the National Institute of Health,
“Anticipation, paying attention to the upcoming stimulus predicted by a contextual cue (Bermpohl et al., 2006), has important implications in human well-being and mental health. Anticipation confers important evolutionary benefits to human beings. Specifically, expecting the forthcoming events allow active preparations in cognitive, affective, and behavioral strategies (Grupe et al., 2013), which ensure survival in the changing and potential challenging environment (Gilbert and Wilson, 2007). Furthermore, the deficits of anticipation of future experience have been associated with extreme low levels of well-being, such as depression (MacLeod and Byrne, 1996; Abler et al., 2007) and anxiety (Nitschke et al., 2009; Boehme et al., 2014; Heitmann et al., 2014)” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5767250/#sec-1title
In short, anticipation is often as valuable as the actual end experience. For example, there are tens of thousands of people who are excited by the prospect of humans one day going to Mars. It is truly important to be able to wake up in the morning and be excited about the future. SpaceX’s Starship mission to Mars accomplishes this for many people. Likewise so does the excitement of Cybertruck. Elon Musk said,
“You want to wake up in the morning and think the future is going to be great – and that’s what being a spacefaring civilization is all about. It’s about believing in the future and thinking that the future will be better than the past. And I can’t think of anything more exciting than going out there and being among the stars.” -Elon Musk
What Will You Do with Your Cybertruck?
Every so often I see somebody ask on Twitter how many Cybertrucks they have on order or what they plan to do with their Cybertruck(s). Here are some of the comments seen on Twitter,
“Work on the farm and hauling cattle.” – Justin Owens
“Stare at it parked in my driveway, sitting in a camping chair drinking a home brew.” – Rich
“Use as an everyday car and haul garden things.” – Richard
“I will definitely have to up my clothes game to drive that f*cker. The Crocs are right out. Black tee shirt in.” – Todd Gunter
“Showed my wife a pic of the Cybertruck… her reply “buy one” looks like we’ll be adding another Tesla to the garage” – Kobayashi Maru
“I can’t bear the wait, it is painful. This product is so sick, even more than Model X. Happy to be one of the first to get this masterpiece. All variations are secured (with FSD): TM, DM, RWD.” – Green Power
When Cybertruck sightings occur, hundreds of people begin to analyze the changes they notice. Everybody is excited about what the final product will look like. In the most recent sighting there were changes noted in the rearview mirrors and lighting. Elon Musk confirmed on Twitter that Cybertruck will have a solid red lightbar in the rear. Owners can remove the new triangular shaped rearview mirrors after purchase.
There is a period of time when different styles of windshield wipers were spotted. This led to extensive speculation and a lot of outspoken views on why people did or did not like the large solo windshield wiper.
My thought is that as we get closer to Cybertruck deliveries this year there will be many Cybertruck sightings which will fill people with more anticipation and excitement. My other take is that Cybertruck will continue to evolve and improve over time so it’s exciting to think that the longer somebody waits to take delivery, the more refined the product will be!
In addition to Cyber anticipation, Tesla investors day is on March 1, and there’s a possibility that a new product will be announced which will lead to more anticipation!
Cybertruck on Mars, Unknown Artist
CONCLUSION
Research shows that it is beneficial to anticipate things like an upcoming wedding, birth, vacation, job change or major life shift.
It is important to our well being and survival, “Specifically, expecting the forthcoming events allow active preparations in cognitive, affective, and behavioral strategies (Grupe et al., 2013), which ensure survival in the changing and potential challenging environment (Gilbert and Wilson, 2007). Furthermore, the deficits of anticipation of future experience have been associated with extreme low levels of well-being, such as depression (MacLeod and Byrne, 1996; Abler et al., 2007) and anxiety (Nitschke et al., 2009; Boehme et al., 2014; Heitmann et al., 2014)”
If you are anticipating Cybertruck with excitement, this is a very good thing. I think Cybertruck will be a major life shift for many people. There are plans set in motion that people have for where they will park their Cybertruck, what they will do with their Cybertruck(s), how they will use Cybertrucks for their business and how they will travel and have adventures off-road in the vehicle.
Additionally, it is exciting to talk about the science-fiction attributes of the vehicle. I love discussing the possibility of the vehicle being on Mars or used in a zombie apocalypse or in fantastical military situations. If I tallied up all the hours that I thought about these things or talked about these things, it would be in the hundreds of hours. It’s provided me and my family with endless conversation and laughter.
Austin Ice Storm, February 1, 2023. Photo courtesy Shane Ware.
Gail Alfar, author. Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – February 5, 2023. All Rights Reserved. My goal as an author is to support Tesla (the most American vehicle manufacturer) and Elon Musk in both making life better on earth for humans and becoming a space-fairing civilization.
(Austin, Texas) On this amazing drive, Gail shows you how smooth Tesla FSD beta runs in busy downtown East Austin. The car confidently slows as a person runs into the street. Gail also takes us through a high-crash intersection. This interesting thing about using FSD beta, as demonstrated in this episode, is that if the vehicle cannot (this may happen for many reasons) make a turn exactly where it should in order to reach a destination, then it will automatically correct itself. In this case, the car corrected itself by turning into a shopping center parking lot, moving through it, going back onto public streets, and then finding its way to the destination. This is how a human driving (who knew the area well) would do it. Unfortunately, as humans, we do not know every area of every city well. However, using FSD beta overcomes that obstacle. Enjoy the podcast!
Gail’s Tesla Podcast #3 FSD Shortcuts To Your Destination. Watch Gail make a mistake and then the Tesla corrects it by taking her through a little mini mall and around the corner. All on FSDbeta. pic.twitter.com/bVUqckwesO
Gail Alfar, author. Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – All Rights Reserved. My goal as an author and podcaster is to support Tesla (the most American vehicle manufacturer) and Elon Musk in both making life better on Earth for humans and becoming a space-fairing civilization.
Welcome back to my blog. It’s been 12 months since I first rented a shared office space to start “What’s Up Tesla.” I am committed to doing more to support the mission of Tesla and Elon Musk, as there is a long road ahead. In the coming year, I’ll keep dedicating time to this blog and my Podcast as we watch Tesla move with success through uncertain times and prove they are the only OEM that will thrive in 2023 and beyond.
In this episode, Gail explains how easy it is to engage FSD beta on very curvy roads in a suburban area. She shows how easy and accurate the innovative software is and demonstrates its safety. Enjoy the podcast.
Gail’s Tesla Podcast #2 FSD On Curvy Hills. FSD works great in Austin’s Hills, kinda feels like magic. Enjoy the podcast. pic.twitter.com/2C0AJGZ191
Gail Alfar, author. Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla. All Rights Reserved. My goal as an author is to support Tesla (the most American vehicle manufacturer) and Elon Musk in both making life better on earth for humans and becoming a space-fairing civilization.
I asked 14 Tesla owners who use FSD beta three questions,
Did you purchase or do you subscribe monthly to FSD beta?
What made you decide to use FSD beta?
What do you like about FSD beta?
I was surprised at their answers and you will be too! This is one of my longer articles and I hope you’ll take time to enjoy it and even share it with others. It contains many heartwarming stories, among them are Nancy Larson’s, Jonathan Yokley’s and more. Relax and enjoy this good read!
Nancy is extending her ability to move about independently at age 78 and beyond!
Nancy Larson and Easy at 78 uses FSD beta, photo courtesy Nancy Larson
Nancy Larson helps people look forward to being independent longer through her story. She wrote,
“In 2016 we traded in our 2014 green Model S for one with the new Autopilot feature as I saw the increased safety it could provide. And when I purchased my silver Model 3 in 2018, it also included FSD in the purchase price because I wanted to follow the advancing technology forward. So when Beta testing began, it felt like one of those rare opportunities to make a contribution to the safety of the whole world through Elon Musk and the Tesla Mission.
As a 78-year-old, I also see a personal benefit by extending my ability to move about independently over time. While using Beta I can see some situations that don’t appear to be solvable with FSD, but for the most part, I am delighted by what my car, Easy, can do. What fun when she displays a new ability or makes what I thought was a mistake that turns out to be the right thing. Supervising her in town with heavy traffic takes extra effort, and being a part of a revolution is never expected to be stress-free.”
James Bond would drive a Tesla
Shawn Ξ s Model Y photo courtesy Shawn Ξ
Shawn Ξ from Granite Bay finds tough routes to challenge FSD beta. He enjoys contributing to Tesla’s data collection. Shawn explained,
“FSD beta testing is one way every Tesla owner can give back to humanity and support our children’s future. The positive disruptive impact FSD (all Tesla AI) will have on saving lives, via preventable motor vehicle accidents (MVA) has yet to be fully appreciated. Tesla FSD will eliminate the billions of dollars spent on healthcare costs contingent to MVAs.
What I like most about FSD is that it illustrates what mankind is capable of creating. Tesla’s engineers are implementing AI with a discipline focused on safety, prevention, humility, and caution. FSD is the epitome of caution when considering AI. They are showing us that AI can be used to aid mankind and help advance the light of consciousness, instead of controlling it. It’s also really cool. James Bond would drive a Tesla!”
This Texas Dad will be remembered as a beta tester
Jonathan Yokley uses FSD beta to take his kids to see Starbase, Texas. photo courtesy Jonathan Yokley
Jonathan Yokley of San Antonio Texas knows how important it is to Tesla’s mission to have people testing FSD beta,
“I’ve driven my 2019 Tesla Model 3 for four years and almost 80k miles. I’ve had beta since October 2021 and use it nearly 100% of the time. Prior to that, I used Autopilot and NAVoAP everywhere possible. I could never go back to driving manually. I use FSD beta nearly 100% of the time I’m driving. I purchased it back when it was $7,000. I’ve had FSD since the 100/99%ers got it back in October of ’22. I wanted to be part of the coming-of-age of autonomous driving. It’s been my way to contributing.”
“One day in the future when all cars are self-driving my kids will remember their Dad was one of the beta testers.” Jonathan Yokley, Texas
You’re safer using FSD beta than not using it
Robert McLaughlin purchased FSD to help advance the technology so he can remain independent as he gets older and for the advanced safety features to reduce the risk of getting in an accident. Robert says,
“I love that I can pull out onto my street, dictate a destination, put it in FSD beta, and the majority of the time it will get me to my destination with few or no critical disengagements. A critical disengagement includes the need to take control to prevent an accident or otherwise create a dangerous situation. I also find it necessary to take control to not hold up other cars. The most frequent intervention is hitting the accelerator in certain situations like phantom braking or advancing at an intersection. It has been fascinating to watch the evolution of technology.
With each new software update, FSD beta gets a little better. The visual representation of what the car “sees” gets cleaner and more detailed, and the ride quality is smoother. To really appreciate this technology you need to spend a few months using it. I also like that it has a 5-star safety rating and that it proactively tightens seat belts and pre-deploys the airbags if the software determines that a crash is unavoidable. Only Teslas’ have this capability. So less likely to be in an accident, and less likely to be seriously injured if you are in an accident. This is a significant increase in overall safety. As FSD beta technology keeps improving, the risk of getting into an accident continues to go down.”
FSD beta testing contributes useful data to Tesla
Dirty Tesla enjoys contributing data to Tesla AI team. Image courtesy Dirty Tesla
Dirty Tesla loves to contribute data to Tesla. He uses FSD Beta as much as possible for 95% of off-highway driving. He shares that,
“Being invited into the FSD beta program as one of the original testers was an honor and opportunity. I felt I had the chance to really do some good by helping feed data to Tesla to improve their self-driving software which would eventually lead to safer roads for everyone. I also love tech and find it all very fascinating. It makes driving fun and interesting.
I do a lot of driving and I enjoy using it to find edge cases and contribute data to Tesla. It also feels like an extra set of eyes while driving. It’s common for FSD Beta to see something that I do not and react to it before I do.”
FSD is underrated
Douglas, a Model 3 owner in New Jersey candidly explained he bought FSD without telling his wife because of the extra safety it provides. He says it’s underrated and unappreciated. It helped him avoid a collision with a deer. In Douglas’ words,
“The most dangerous thing that most people do is drive so often that they don’t think about it. I try to talk my friends into Tesla not just because they’re electric but because of the safety. People don’t realize how easily distracted they are even if for a few seconds whenever they’re driving. Obviously, everyone knows that texting and driving is dangerous and so is tinkering with your music stream or whatever. It only takes a few seconds for someone to drive in front of you unexpectedly or for a pedestrian to cross the road or a deer for that matter. Tesla FSD literally has your back, front, left and right. 360° coverage.”
“It’s like having a copilot to watch the road AND having people facing in a big circle around you watching the road on your behalf. It’s an amazing technology that is saving lives and will save many lives. I always say to my friends that the most dangerous thing you do is drive and if you love yourself as I love you my friend and you love your family, then this is something you should seriously consider purchasing.” Douglas, Model 3 owner, New Jersey
FSD beta is safer, acts like a chauffeur and makes driving enjoyable
Arash Malek uses Tesla FSD beta every day. Photo courtesy Arash Malek.
Ryan Cave of North Texas and dad of two used Autopilot daily for 3 years in his Model S and is excited about the future when cars will drive humans. He wrote,
“I can envision the day when those who can’t drive will be given a newfound freedom. Even those who can will be free to use their travel time more productively. Driving is fun, but I like that FSD beta makes driving enjoyable in a different way. It does most of my driving now, and using it is like watching your children learn. You get to see how far it has advanced, and how interventions generally decrease over time. I also feel more relaxed after long drives or commuting in traffic.”
Chris Barberich of Encinitas, California also told me he’s excited about the future of driverless cars,
“It’s fun to see the software make progress towards that future. Also, in most situations, I think FSD plus a human observer is safer than a human driver. I like that it’s there in case I want to use it and I can easily turn it on and off. I like that it often notices cars slowing down before I do.”
Dave Smith, a Model X and 3 owner in Arizona told me FSD Beta feels like a chauffeur. He said,
“It does 99.9% of the driving for me and the 0.1% is where I would intervene or take over. Using FSD makes my mind free up to focus on the real emergencies when driving rather than focus on how to keep the car in the lane, where is my next turn or next exit. The fact that it does everything and I just need to supervise saves you from a lot of mental fatigue. This is huge because it increases safety a lot and also you reach your destination without any fatigue from driving.”
Michael Phan agrees,
“I like that FSD Beta can be my chauffeur. It’s like having a personal assistant ready to take over driving duties as needed. What’s not to like about it? The hybrid mode of FSD Beta driving with a human over-seeing makes me feel like I can keep myself and my family safe in the car while we travel.”
Michael Phan tests FSD beta, photo courtesy Michael Phan
FSD Beta lets the public see development progress firsthand
Dan Burkland has been using and testing FSD Beta daily since October 2021 across every kind of road and weather condition imaginable in Minnesota. Dan told me his decision to use FSD Beta came from losing friends & family to motor-vehicle accidents that he felt could have been avoided if the proper autonomous driving technology had been active in their vehicles. Dan said,
“I’m a techy at heart and my curiosity peaked when Tesla came on the scene and described their approach to bringing autonomous driving technology to the masses. I recognized the heavy lift something like Autopilot requires not to mention the large operational domain it is expected to excel in. As a result, I wanted to do my part by extensively testing FSD Beta in Minnesota by establishing several test loops and regularly testing FSD against these test loops (in all sorts of weather conditions).
What I like most about FSD Beta is how the public has the ability to see the development progress firsthand. Confidence in creep behavior, path planning, unprotected left turns, etc. are things that immediately pop out at me when I compare my recent 10.69.25.2 videos against my early 10.2 videos.”
CONCLUSION
Tesla owners are closely involved in providing important data to the Tesla AI team and many are motivated by a sense of urgency to help future generations move faster toward a much safer and more autonomous future. When fathers tell me they are thinking of their children’s futures it reminds me of the impression I had when I met Elon Musk at Gigafactory Texas in June 2022. Elon radiates kindness and a strong sense of urgency. He’s kind to the people around him and when he speaks it is with a clear and well-thought-out vision of how we can advance humanity. This article and the people I got to meet through it really touched my heart. We’re in good hands with people like this who care so much about our futures.
Here’s a chart that contains all 14 owners’ responses and I also included myself, since I also love testing FSD beta!
Tesla owners share their opinions about Tesla FSD beta
Special thanks to these Tesla owners for making this article possible!
Gail Alfar, author. Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – January 22, 2023. All Rights Reserved. My goal as an author is to support Tesla (the most American vehicle manufacturer) and Elon Musk in both making life better on earth for humans and becoming a space-fairing civilization. Updated 1/22/23 3:53 pm to correct statement on tax credits. FSD purchase does not impact the tax credit limit, its only added options like paint, etc. that count towards the limit.
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Gail’s Tesla Podcast #1 shows how you can start using Tesla FSD.
In 10 minutes, learn how to start FSD and go around corners and other hacks, including how to enjoy different colors for your Tesla on the vehicle’s screen!
Gail’s Tesla Podcast #1 Starting using FSD. How to start FSD and go around corners and other hacks. We’ll go get burgers together! Our first 10 minute video for you! pic.twitter.com/nuJmmtbdIO
We’ll go get burgers together! Our first 10 minute video for you!
Gail Alfar, author. Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – All Rights Reserved. My goal as an author and podcaster is to support Tesla (the most American vehicle manufacturer) and Elon Musk in both making life better on earth for humans and becoming a space-fairing civilization.
NOTE: Article has been updated on January 12, 2026 to include original Space link.
Elon Musk spoke on StockMKTNewz (Dec 22, 2022 in a Twitter space) and his words were notable so I am sharing his talk with you. Some highlights are,
Elon aims to see Tesla grow quickly in a recession, “Let’s grow as fast as we can, without putting the company at risk”
Tesla is like no other car company. Elon explains, “the cars are upgradable to autonomy, and arguably an autonomous car is worth many times what a non-autonomous car is”
“I stand by my prediction that long term, Tesla will be the most valuable company in the world.” Elon Musk
Elon says he aims to see Tesla grow quickly in a recession, “Let’s grow as fast as we can, without putting the company at risk”
When asked if Tesla can sustain its current growth rate in the next few years or so (in a predicted recession), Elon Musk stated on StockMKTNewz,
“I’m just laying out what I see as, this is just my best guess at the future. It’s not like I have some incredible crystal ball that’s an exact predictor of the future, so with all appropriate caveats but the reality is, if we are in a recession, and I think we are in a recession, and I think 2023 is going to be quite a serious recession and it’s going to be, in my opinion, comparable to 2009.
I don’t know if it’s going to be a little worse or a little better, but I think it is likely to be comparable. It means demand for any kind of optional discretionary item, especially if it’s a big-ticket item will be lower with the FED increasing rates.
Like when you are heading into a recession you should be reducing the FED rate not increasing it. So that amplifies the difficulty, so now you have a sort of structural demand which is obviously going to be lower in a recession and you’ve amplified the effect of the cost of a car because they’re almost all bought with debt, so you get a double whammy is what I’m saying.
So the obvious choice in that scenario is you want to grow unit volume which case you’ll have to adjust prices downward or you want to grow at a lower rate or go steady, there’s sort of a choice there.
My inclination would be to still grow. Let’s grow as fast as we can, without putting the company at risk which would mean in that scenario profits would be low to negative during a recession, provided the cash position is okay.
I think that’s still the right move long-term because there’s something that Tesla possesses that other car companies do not which is extremely fundamental. That is the cars are upgradable to autonomy, and arguably an autonomous car is worth many times what a non-autonomous car is.”
“there’s something that Tesla possesses that other car companies do not which is extremely fundamental. That is the cars are upgradable to autonomy, and arguably an autonomous car is worth many times what a non-autonomous car is” Elon Musk
Tesla Model S with autonomy. Image courtesy Tesla, Inc.
Tesla is like no other car company
Elon Musk continued,
“So even if you’re margins are extremely low in selling the car, the subsequent upgrade to it being autonomous is worth a lot.
That’s something that no other car company can do. Only Tesla can do that.
I stand by my prediction that long term, Tesla will be the most valuable company in the world. I’m actually fairly confident that this will be what happens.
What I cannot predict, because there are many things outside of my control, is what will be the valuation along the way there. That is subject to a lot of emotional elements on the stock market subject to lots of macroeconomic conditions.
But I would say, long term Tesla is probably, my best guess, the most valuable company in the world in less than 5 years.”
“So even if you’re margins are extremely low in selling the car, the subsequent upgrade to it being autonomous is worth a lot. That’s something that no other car company can do. Only Tesla can do that.” Elon Musk
CONCLUSION
We are likely heading into a difficult recession in 2023. Elon Musk will not put Tesla, Inc. at risk and at the same time he will “grow unit volume in which case you’ll have to adjust prices downward.” This is a smart move as Tesla possesses something that no other car company has. Teslas are all upgradeable to autonomy. Elon said an autonomous car is “worth many times what a non-autonomous car is” and I agree.
I have been using Tesla autonomy for over 2 years now and it is advanced to the level where I can transport across the city of Austin during “rush hour” with zero disengagements. There are many Tesla owners that are having the same experience in different cities across the USA. However, the most valuable thing that no other car company has is Elon Musk for CEO. This is Tesla’s number one asset.
Austin, Texas photo courtesy Adrian N on Unsplash
Read about the magic of Tesla autonomy in these articles
If You Haven’t Used Autopilot Yet, Why Not? (3 Essentials) This article is for everyone who has ever thought, “I love my Tesla, but I will never do Autopilot, it’s too scary.” I am with you, it can be scary. This article covers 3 areas,
Tesla Autopilot is safer than a human driving
Enabling Autopilot during a drive is easy
You can use Autopilot on your daily drives and disable it anytime during a drive
Enjoying Tesla Autonomy What makes a road trip more fun? Tesla Autopilot definitely does! Freeway driving is also safer when there are eight cameras looking out for your family’s safety.
Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – This article was created by Gail Alfar with the goal to preserve this interview in text or written form for the purpose of 1. education and 2. preserving the brilliant insight and words of Elon Musk. January 15, 2023
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Screenshot of crash site from California Highway Patrol video, shot from rescue helicopter courtesy: CHP Golden Gate Division Air Ops
All week long I’ve been asked the question, did you hear about the Tesla that flew over the cliff and everybody in it survived?
I’m sure you heard about the 4 people surviving when a Tesla Model Y flew over the edge of a 250-foot cliff and landed safely without even a fire occuring. It’s like something out of a James Bond movie! And it’s actually related to hard-core engineering and principles of physics. This article will take a quick look at why the Model Y is so safe. Special guest writer Whole Mars Catalog shares the story here with details on the engineering of the vehicle.
How high is 250 feet?I compare the 250-foot Devil’s Slide to several spots in Austin.
What is so special about the way the Model Y is made? Whole Mars explains.
Why there was no fire. Tesla battery is made to protect occupants.
Where is the Y made and how can I get one?
UPDATE: Franz von Holzhausen, Chief Designer at Tesla stated in an interview with Ryan McCaffrey dated January 15,
“Even when somebody wasn’t looking out for their family, Tesla was.” Franz von Holzhausen
HOW HIGH IS 250 FEET?
I often share pictures of the view from the cliffs by Austin’s Pennybacker Bridge on my Twitter account. The bridge is only 100 feet above the water. The cliffs are closer to 250 feet, similar to Devil’s Slide. Austin’s Shore Condos are 257 feet tall. Imagine a car flying off the top of that!
Save with Gail's Referral. Order Tesla products with Gail's Referral Link to earn cash off your order plus exclusive referral benefits. ts.la/gail74884
Special guest writer Omar Qazi of Whole Mars Catalog shares the Devil’s Slide story here with details on the engineering of the vehicle
Crashes along Devil's Slide in California rarely end with survivors. So when Dharmesh A. Patel allegedly attempted a murder/suicide by driving off the cliff with a woman, 4-year-old girl, 9-year-old boy, few had hope.
Just one problem with Patel's plan: He was in a Tesla.
Brian Pottenger, battalion chief for Cal Fire, had this to say about the rescue: "We go there all the time for cars over the cliff and they never live. This was an absolute miracle.”
As they arrived at the scene, other firefighters watching the sedan through binoculars suddenly noticed movement - a sign that at least one person was still alive.
"Every one of us was shocked when we saw movement out of the front windshield" — Pottenger
"The incident turned from what had been likely a recovery of bodies to a rescue operation that took several hours amid constant rain, heavy winds, slick roads and crashing waves" — ABC 7
"Crews pulled the kids out of the back window and brought them up the cliff by hand in a rescue basket using the rope system. They were rushed to the hospital by ambulance with musculoskeletal injuries. They were more scared than they were hurt," Pottenger said.
All four passengers were fully conscious when they were retrieved. How?
This wasn't just a miracle. It was the result of endless work and effort by the Tesla team to build the world's safest car.
A car that lets you walk away from even the most horrible situation.
It starts with the structural design of the vehicle. In traditional combustion engine (ICE) cars, the front of the vehicle is filled with an engine that gets pushed in towards the cabin in the event of a crash.
EVs like Teslas don't have engines. So the front is a storage & crumple zone.
Essentially the front of a Tesla works as a giant metal trampoline, cushioning the passengers from impact.
But it doesn't stop with just the structural design of the vehicle. Software and over-the-air updates are a big part of what makes Tesla safer than other cars. One example is the computer vision-based automatic seatbelt pretensioner. More about that here.
Using the same vision system that drives the car, the seat belt pre-tensioner can detect that a crash is about to happen and automatically pre-tighten the seat belt ahead of time to protect occupants — like the kids & adults in the Devil's Slide crash.
Most car companies are done crash testing once they sell the car to you. Not at Tesla. They continuously review data from real crashes to optimize airbags and crash response even AFTER you've picked up the car through continuous over-the-air software updates.
And that's just the beginning. I could go on and on. So as $TSLA faced it's worst single-day performance in history for delivering 15,000 fewer cars than expected (only a record 405,000!), remember this. The lives saved. The murders prevented. That is Tesla.
Tesla has some of the most brilliant engineers in the world working tirelessly to keep us safe. Even after a 70% drawdown in the last year, I'm proud to own a piece of this company. They're working on things that are important for all of us, and that amaze me every day. Miracles. Brought to you by the Tesla Engineering team. - Whole Mars Catalog (Omar Qazi)
WHY THERE WAS NO FIRE, TESLA BATTERY PROTECTS OCCUPANTS
Tesla batteries are designed to prevent fires and protect the occupants. In this crash down Devil’s Slide there was no fire. You can read the Tesla vehicle safety report, which states,
“Model S, Model 3, Model X and Model Y have achieved among the lowest overall probability of injury of any vehicles ever tested by the U.S. government’s New Car Assessment Program. Much of this has to do with the rigid, fortified structure of the battery pack that is mounted to the car’s floor, which provides a vehicle with exceptional strength, large crumple zones, and a uniquely low center of gravity. Because of their strength, Tesla’s battery packs rarely incur serious damage in accidents. And, in the extremely unlikely event that a fire occurs, the state-of-the-art design of our battery packs ensures that its safety system works as intended and isolates a fire to select areas within the battery while simultaneously venting heat away from the passenger cabin and the vehicle.”
WHERE IS THE MODEL Y MADE AND HOW CAN I GET ONE?
Tesla Model Y won first place for most American-made car in 2022. That’s because Model Y is made in the USA with the majority of parts also made in the USA.
Model Y is also made in Berlin, Germany and Shanghai China. So, depending on where you live, your Y would be made in the factory closest to you. Here’s a link to the official Tesla website where you can purchase a Y www.tesla.com/modely
CONCLUSION
Devil’s slide’s 250 foot drop is extreme. I compared it to the distance from the top of the cliffs at Pennybacker Bridge down to the water, or the top of the shore condos down to the ground.
Model Y is intentionally engineered to be safer than govt requirements. Whole Mars Catalog shares the details of the crash and the engineering that make up the Y.
Model Y is made in the USA in California and Texas. It’s also made to the same high standards in Berlin and Shanghai.
Hike & Bike Trail of East Austin, Colorado River, Courtesy CVSherman
Love to read about Model Y and FSD? Here are more articles…
Model Y: Big Road Trip Advantages Any Tesla is great to take on a road trip because Autopilot makes the journey much easier. But Model Y has two distinct advantages!
If You Haven’t Used Autopilot Yet, Why Not? (3 Essentials) This article is for everyone who has ever thought, “I love my Tesla, but I will never do Autopilot, it’s too scary.” I am with you, it can be scary. This article covers 3 areas,
Tesla Autopilot is safer than a human driving
Enabling Autopilot during a drive is easy
You can use Autopilot on your daily drives and disable it anytime during a drive
Enjoying Tesla Autonomy What makes a road trip more fun? Tesla Autopilot definitely does! Freeway driving is also safer when there are eight cameras looking out for your family’s safety.
Gail Alfar, author. Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – January 8, 2023. All Rights Reserved. My goal as an author is to support Tesla (the most American vehicle manufacturer) and Elon Musk in both making life better on earth for humans and becoming a space-fairing civilization. Updated on January 15 and January 20, 2023.
Motortrend just released the results of their tests for fastest electric car. They tested EVs in order to see which one has the fastest acceleration. The Tesla Model S Plaid, came out in the number one spot. Here’s what MotorTrend had to say, and here’s how the other competitors stacked up.
2021 Tesla Model S Plaid: 0-60 MPH in 2.3 Seconds
Motortrend wrote,
“The 2021 Tesla Model S Plaid is the fastest EV, and the fastest car for that matter, we’ve ever tested in 0-60 acceleration, despite the drama surrounding getting data that matched the standard conditions of our other instrumented tests.
How does a Tesla Model S Plaid accelerate so fast?
It’s fitted with three extraordinarily efficient and powerful electric motors, all-wheel drive thanks to those motors with two at the rear to further bolster the power shove, and an advanced traction control system that interacts seamlessly with said electric motors.
Add it all up, and you get a monstrous 1,020 horsepower and 1,050 ft-lb of torque.
When experiencing the acceleration of a Plaid, it’s abundantly clear that virtually the only force you feel is the Tesla’s seatback hurling you forward to a degree that genuinely makes the horizon the floor.
Except that floor is rushing up at you far faster than any free fall ever could.” – Motortrend
The 5 Fastest Electric Cars From 0-60 MPH – Motortrend January 2023
You can read more about Tesla’s Plaid Model S on their website here.
Breaking New Ground on the Racetrack: Plaid Model S at COTA The Plaid is an example of great craftsmanship and superior technology. It is Tesla’s best vehicle. Being both a four-door family sedan and a vehicle that can compete on the racetrack is a huge achievement. It is the fastest production car in the world. It is also proudly made in the USA.
Gail Alfar, author. Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – January 7, 2023. All Rights Reserved. My goal as an author is to support Tesla (the most American vehicle manufacturer) and Elon Musk in both making life better on earth for humans and becoming a space-fairing civilization.
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