90 – Model 3 Delivery Experience

We discuss Caleb’s recent trip to the Tesla Fremont delivery center to experience the Model 3 delivery experience. We cover the timing from configure, to VIN assignment, to delivery date. Then we discuss the nitty gritty details of the experience of picking up a Model 3. And we conclude with our experience with such a recently manufactured Model 3 and how it compares to our experience a few months ago with an early Model 3.

If you are planning to buy a Model S or X please considering using this referral code to help support the show and get free Supercharging for life: http://ts.la/anuarbek5816

89 – Dramatic Autopilot Updates

We discuss the recent software update for Autopilot 2 vehicles. The core updates appear to be in the underlying Tesla Vision Neural network, and we discuss what this says about where Tesla is along the path to full self driving, what new features we can expect, and if Autopilot 2 has finally surpassed Autopilot 1.

If you are planning to buy a Model S or X please considering using this referral code to help support the show and get free Supercharging for life: http://ts.la/anuarbek5816

88 – Non-Owners Receive Invites

We discuss the recent news that Tesla has started inviting non-owners to configure their Model 3. We unpack what this says about where Tesla is in production, the quality of the vehicle, why Tesla started with existing owners, and where software for Model 3 is. We also discuss what’s coming next with white interior, dual motor, performance and more. 

If you are planning to buy a Model S or X please considering using this referral code to help support the show and get free Supercharging for life: http://ts.la/anuarbek5816

87 – Q4 2017

We unpack Tesla’s Q4 2017 results. We cover the high level financial results, production updates on Model 3, new details on Model Y, Elon’s perspective on LiDAR, when we can expect the full self driving cross country drive, and how Tesla is still aiming to be the best at manufacturing. 

If you are planning to buy a Model S or X please considering using this referral code to help support the show and get free Supercharging for life: http://ts.la/anuarbek5816

86 – Elon + Tesla + 10 Years = $650B?

We unpack Tesla’s recent unveiling of their new 10-year CEO performance award. Building on Elon’s previous compensation package, the board has created a plan that is 100% based on performance, targeting $650B in market cap along with revenue and EBITDA targets. We cover what this says about Elon’s long term involvement with Tesla, what Tesla will have to do to achieve these goals, and we debate the virtue of such a massive compensation plan.

If you are planning to buy a Model S or X please considering using this referral code to help support the show and get free Supercharging for life: http://ts.la/anuarbek5816

85 – Comma.ai

We discuss the company Comma.ai and their path toward developing “the Android of self-driving car software”. We cover their founding, connection to Tesla, their open source approach, how their approach is similar to Tesla in many ways –  believing in fleet-learning and commodity sensors and powerful software. 

If you are planning to buy a Model S or X please considering using this referral code to help support the show and get free Supercharging for life: http://ts.la/anuarbek5816

84 – Q4 2017 Production and Deliveries

We unpack Tesla’s Q4 2017 production and delivery report. Tesla delivered a record 29,870 vehicles, of which 15,200 were Model S, 13,120 were Model X, and 1,550 were Model 3. We cover the progress Tesla made in the quarter on Model 3, how that compares to the Model S and Model X ramp and why this upcoming quarter is so critical to proving the mass production capabilities of Model 3.

If you are planning to buy a Model S or X please considering using this referral code to help support the show and get free Supercharging for life: http://ts.la/anuarbek5816

83 – Tesla in 2018

We discuss our expectations for Tesla in the year ahead. We cover the progress we expect to see in Autopilot, how the Model 3 ramp is going and what it says about where Tesla will be in 2018, if and when we will see Model Y, what special feature Elon may be talking about for the Pickup, software improvements for the fleet, and Superchargers. 

82 – Cruise

We discuss Cruise, the company GM acquired to lead their autonomous efforts last year for nearly $1B. We cover their origins as an aftermarket kit for Audi’s, how Kyle Vogt their founder got his start with self driving cars at MIT, and the progress the company has made thus far, and how they plan to launch a fully autonomous ride-sharing service in early 2019 in San Francisco.

81 – 1,000 Miles with Model 3

We do a deep dive into living with the Model 3 for two weeks and over 1,000 miles. Caleb drove the Model 3 from Palo Alto to LA and back and lived with it for two weeks. We discuss everything about the vehicle from Autopilot, to the interior, to ergonomics to the UI, and more. 

80 – Semi + Roadster

We discuss the Semi event, what it was like being there, what we found most impactful about the Semi, and what the Roadster means as a halo vehicle for Tesla. 

79 – Model 3 First Drive

We discuss Caleb’s experience driving the Model 3. We dig deep into everything about the experience from the exterior, interior, driving dynamics, Autopilot, and more. 

78 – Q3 2017

Special guest Rob Maurer joins Caleb to unpack Tesla’s Q3 2017earnings. We cover the high level numbers, the S & X business, energy, service & superchargers, Autopilot, and the big news around the Model 3 ramp. 

77 – Model 3 in Depth with Trevor Page

In a special episode guest host Trevor Page of the Model 3 Owners Club joins Caleb to discuss his recent hour long video of his time two days with the Model 3. We cover the exterior, interior, UI, the ergonomics of the touch screen, driving experience, the app and the keycard and more. 

Watch the video Trevor and Ken made here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DT0vDMWsq4

76 – Levels of Autonomy

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. 

75 – Nvidia

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.

74 – Get Your Musk to Mars

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.

73 – Leaf Anxiety and Model 3 Details

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.

72 – HD Maps with a Special Guest

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

71 – Simulate All the Things

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