We discuss the major automakers goals for full autonomy timelines, Tesla’s Level 4 & 5 timelines, what the SAE levels really mean, and how we expect Tesla and others will actually roll out Level 3, Level 4, and Level 5 self driving systems.
We cover one of Tesla’s key suppliers for Autopilot – Nvidia. We discus their history, differences between GPUs and CPUs, why Nvidia is entering the self-driving car arena, and what their strategy is to help companies like Tesla achieve the goal of a fully self-driving car.
We cover Elon and SpaceX’s plans to colonize Mars with their BFR. We unpack why Mars at all, how SpaceX has been laying the foundation for the key technologies needed for BFR with Falcon 9 and Dragon, how a Moon base fits in, and their vision for point to point earth transportation powered by BFR.
We discuss our recent trip with a Nissan Leaf to the Tesla factory. We experienced range anxiety for real. We also unpack the recent details about the Model 3 that have come out through different FCC filings, first responder manuals, and first hand accounts of new owners.
We do a deep dive into HD maps and speak with former Tesla Autopilot software engineer Andrew Kouri. Andrew is now co-founder and CEO of lvl5 a startup building HD maps using computer vision and crowdsourcing by paying people to record their drives with their smartphones. We discuss the different approaches to HD maps, why companies like Tesla and others working towards self driving will utilize HD maps, and how you can build HD maps from crowdsourced driving video using deep neural networks.
Download Payver to help build HD maps for the future of self driving cars and get paid to do it: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/payver-dashcam-with-rewards/id1187617316?mt=8
We discuss how simulation has continued to increase in importance in the development and validation of self driving vehicles and how Tesla and others are using simulation. We unpack the evolution of simulation from playback of driving events, to simulating a new drive, to actually training neural networks inside the simulation. Simulation is a key enabler for massive scaling and improvement of the software.
Article and video we discussed:
Inside Waymo’s Carcraft Simulator - https://www.theatlantic.com/amp/article/537648/
Zoox’s usage of Simulation - https://youtu.be/otmxoK4lCNw?t=23m5s
If you are planning to buy a Model S or X please considering using this referral code to help support the show and save $1,000 and get free Supercharging for life: http://ts.la/anuarbek5816
We discuss OpenAI – its origins, connection to Elon Musk, what they are working on, and how general human (and superhuman) level AI will have profound effects on everything.
If you are planning to buy a Model S or X please considering using this referral code to help support the show and save $1,000 and get free Supercharging for life: http://ts.la/anuarbek5816
We cover the big updates since the first Model 3 deliveries. Starting with the official accessories on the Tesla shop. We also cover Ultra White seats sightings, new details about the Aero wheels, battery capacity and the decision to move to long range naming, permanent magnet motor switchover. We also explain more about the Keycard and Tesla Phone Key feature. And we end with the new interior camera and Autopilot HW 2.5.
We unpack Tesla’s Q2 2017 results. We discuss the latest updates for Model 3 production and margin targets, Autopilot upcoming releases, a change in strategy for Model Y, Solar roof installations, Supercharger and service updates, and more.
We were fortunate to be invited to the Model 3 delivery event and were given test rides. We run down our experience at the event and our time inside Model 3, and what struck us most about the Model 3 in person. This is a must listen episode.
Take a look at our photos from the event: http://theteslashow.com/model-3-delivery-event/
We discuss Caleb’s recent 36 hour excursion with the Model S up to wine country. Caleb shares all of his impressions and experience with Model S, from the driving dynamics, to the UI, to charging, to Autopilot. If you’ve ever wanted to know more of what it’s like to drive a Tesla this is the episode for you.
We discuss the recent developments in Supercharging. Since our early episode on Supercharging, Tesla has rolled out a new credit system, set ambitious new goals for expansion, new plans for city Supercharging and locations with dozens of plugs. We also discuss the future of Supercharging speed with V3.
The first Model 3 has rolled off the line and is going to Elon. As production begins we discuss the RC program that got us to this point and what is happening at the factory right now as production starts.
We unpack Elon’s recent tweets about Model 3 progress. The news that the Model 3 has passed all regulatory requirements, the first car is scheduled to be produced later this week, and the delivery event is happening Friday July 28th at Tesla Fremont. We try to make sense of it all, how the ramp compares to the S and X and what is still to come.
We discuss the recent changes in the Autopilot team at Tesla. Chris Lattner, formerly of Apple, who was VP of Autopilot Software at Tesla has left and Andrej Karpathy of OpenAI has joined as Director of AI and Autopilot Vision reporting to Elon Musk. We unpack what Chris accomplished, what Andrej’s past experience tells us about the types of projects he will work on & more.
We unpack the recent Tesla shareholder meeting where Elon gave an update on Tesla, what’s coming next, and answered a bunch of questions.
We also recently caught 2 Model 3’s on video exiting Tesla HQ in Palo Alto: https://youtu.be/e-yL6B1iucE
We were fortunate to be invited to the recent Tesla VIP event. We share what we can due to the NDA. We got to experience the Model 3 up close and we recount what stood out to us. Plus we caught footage of Model 3’s testing on the Tesla test track.
We discuss the latest specs Tesla has released about the Model 3, their strategy to push sales of Model S and try to correct confusion in the market about Model 3 being better than Model S. We also discuss what the limited set of configs for Model 3 at launch means. We reveal some new tips we have about the Model 3 HVAC system and Tesla’s work on a HUD.
Tesla has started collecting short video clips to help improve their self-driving software through crowdsourced learning from their fleet. They are using the clips to improve lane detection, sign recognition, traffic light locations and more. Plus the implications for these clips on training their neural nets, HD maps, and redundancy for sensing.
Elon is boring. We discuss one of Elon’s latest ventures – The Boring Company. We cover a brief history of tunnels, how Tunnel Boring Machines work, and some of the major tunneling projects in the US and Europe in recent decades. We unpack what The Boring Company is trying to do and what we know about the feasibility of their vision.