• Biden administration seeks to ban Chinese, Russian tech in US autonomous vehicles (The Associated Press, September 23, 2024)

  The US Department of Commerce announced on Monday that it is seeking to ban all connected vehicles that have Chinese or Russian technology or software installed beginning in model year 2027 vehicles in an effort to protect national security. The government raised its concerns over microphones, cameras, GPS, and Bluetooth technology that could put American personal information in the hands of a foreign adversary. This concern is more complicated for hardware, which is more laborious to replace, while a vehicle’s software can be changed much quicker.

  “This is not about trade or economic advantage. This is strictly national security action. The good news is right now, we don’t have many Chinese or Russian cars on our road,” stated U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. 

• Tesla Model Y Inches Closer to Dethroning Ford F-150 As U.S.’ Best-Selling Vehicle (Inside EVs, September 23, 2024)

  The Tesla Model Y is on the verge of becoming America’s top-selling vehicle, building on its global success from last year. Recent data shows the Model Y challenging the Toyota Rav4 and the longstanding leader, the Ford F-150, in new U.S. registrations. Last year, the Model Y ranked fifth in sales, behind the Toyota Rav4, Ram 1500, Chevrolet Silverado, and Ford F-series. Mid-year, it climbed to fourth but now holds nearly 2.6% of new registrations, just shy of the Rav4’s 2.8%. The Model Y’s appeal lies in its ability to meet core consumer needs, reflecting a broader acceptance of EVs among Americans. Despite challenges such as CEO controversies and potential depreciation, Tesla’s reputation for desirable vehicles remains strong. If the Model Y surpasses the Ford F-series, it would mark a significant shift in U.S. automotive preferences, emphasizing SUVs, electrification, and high truck prices influencing buyer decisions.

•  Texas Lawmakers Working on Rules for Autonomous Vehicles (Government Technology, September 19, 2024)

  Texas lawmakers are proposing new regulations for companies operating driverless cars and trucks, such as Waymo, Cruise, and Aurora. State Sen. Robert Nichols emphasized the need for rules to ensure safe use of Texas roads while not stifling innovation. The legislation in the upcoming session will require companies to inform the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles when drivers are removed from vehicles for solo trips. These rules will apply to fleets of driverless cars and trucks, not privately owned vehicles. Lawmakers want to integrate driverless vehicles into existing regulations without disrupting the industry’s progress. The goal is to strike a balance between innovation and public safety, as seen in previous issues with driverless cars causing gridlock in cities like Houston and Austin.

• Tesla launches ‘actually smart summon’ or ‘ass’ (Electrek, September 3, 2024)

  Tesla has introduced the long-awaited Actually Smart Summon (ASS) feature, alongside a simpler Dumb Summon option, in its latest software update. Actually Smart Summon enables Tesla owners to call their vehicle from a parking spot to a chosen nearby location via the Tesla App. The release notes humorously describe ASS as a magical tech experience, allowing your car to autonomously navigate to your position or destination.

  Dumb Summon offers basic functionality, allowing the car to move forward or backward with app-based controls. To use these features, owners simply access the Summon tab in the Tesla app, gaining live camera feeds to oversee the vehicle’s movements. While employing these features, vigilant supervision is advised, particularly in parking scenarios. Currently, ASS is available for cars equipped with Hardware 4, with future availability for Hardware 3 suggested imminently.

• Woman using hands-free driving feature hits car, killing 2 in Pennsylvania, cops say (Miami Herald, September 3, 2024)

  A Pennsylvania woman, Dimple Patel, turned herself in on Tuesday this week after hitting and killing two men while driving her Ford Mustang Mach-E in the vehicle’s hands-free driving mode back in March of this year. At around 3 AM on March 3 in Philadelphia, two drivers were pulled over on Interstate 95 when Patel’s yellow Mach-E slammed into a vehicle from behind, killing both men. The Mach-E is reported to have been traveling at around 70 miles per hour with  BlueCruise hands-free driving feature enabled, as well as Adaptive Cruise Control when the crash occurred. Ford has commented on the incident, stating, “There is no priority higher than safety at Ford, and we have been collaborating fully with all relevant organizations on the investigations into these incidents.”

  The marketing materials for Ford’s BlueCruise state that drivers should continue to keep their eyes on the road when BlueCruise is enabled. Pennsylvania State Police urge drivers to “be aware and ready to regain control if the situation warrants your immediate reaction.”

• Researchers probe safety of AI in driverless cars, find vulnerabilities (Tech Xplore, September 2, 2024)

  Artificial intelligence (AI) is a critical component in self-driving vehicles, facilitating decision-making, sensing, and predictive modeling. However, its vulnerability to attacks is a concern being explored by researchers at the University at Buffalo. Their studies indicate that malicious actors could potentially manipulate these AI systems, causing them to fail. For instance, 3D-printed objects might camouflage a vehicle from AI radar systems, rendering it undetectable.

  Although current autonomous vehicles remain safe, this research could impact the automotive and tech industries, and influence regulatory policies. Tests conducted at UB have shown that the most commonly used radar systems for object detection, though reliable, can be compromised using strategically placed “tile masks.” These discoveries underline potential attack motives such as insurance fraud or competition, and highlight the gap in security measures, which researchers aim to address by developing robust defenses.

• Ford EV and hybrid sales surge 65% in May (CNBC, June 4, 2024)

  Ford recently announced an increase of about 65% in sales of both hybrids and EVs.  While that number sounds astounding, let’s put it in perspective.  While there has been an increase, the total number of vehicles sold in that segment was about 26,000.  Ford sold just over 190,000 cars last month, so approximately 14% of those sales were accounted for by hybrids and EVs. 

  As recently reported, the Model E electric vehicle unit has taken enormous losses this year, but sales of its all-electric F-150 Lightening pickups and Mustang Mach-E EV have been growing.  The automaker is focusing on offering hybrid options across its entire North American lineup by 2030.

• Tesla plans to use cabin radar, ditching seat sensors for safety (Teslarati, June 3, 2024)

  In a new software update, Software Version 2024.14.3, Tesla reportedly plans to incorporate cabin radar instead of seat sensors to show which seats are occupied, as well as detecting that a person is sitting in the driver’s seat when Full Self-Driving or Autopilot are engaged. According to a Tesla hacker, “greentheonly,” the use of cabin radar will be used to detect a human driver before the vehicle can move. This change is likely due to driver complaints regarding malfunctions of the seat sensors, as well as “cheat devices” that can trick the vehicle into detecting a human driver who is not there.

  The report of the cabin radar comes shortly after a NHTSA recall for Tesla’s malfunctioning seat belt warning system. According to Reuters, the remedy to this issue will “remove dependency on the driver seat occupancy sensor from the software and only rely on driver seat belt buckle and ignition status to activate the seat belt reminder signals.”

• Tesla Settles Fatal Crash Suit Ahead of California Trial (Transport Topics, May 28, 2024)

  Only a few months after Tesla settled a high-profile case involving the fatality of a former Apple engineer, Tesla has settled another fatal crash lawsuit only days before the trial was scheduled to begin. The crash, which took place in downtown Indianapolis nearly 8 years ago, involved the driver Casey Speckman, who lost control of a 2015 Tesla Model S, which plaintiffs claimed accelerated on its own, causing the vehicle to hit a tree and burst into flames. The passenger, Kevin McCarthy, allegedly survived the impact, but died in the fire, unable to open the vehicle doors due to “the defective design of the door latch system entrapping him in the vehicle,” according to the lawsuit.

  Tesla has claimed that the vehicle was free from defects, with EDR data showing that Ms. Speckman had her foot on the accelerator pedal at the time of the collision. Additionally, police reports indicated a blood alcohol level that was more than double the legal limit. The “conditional” settlement between parties occurred on May 24, but no details were provided in court filings.

• Tesla execs Drew Baglino and Rohan Patel leave as company lays off 10% Tech Crunch, April 15, 2024

  Two high-profile executives, Drew Baglino and Rohan Patel, have left Tesla on the same day the electric automaker announced layoffs impacting more than 10% of its global workforce or approximately 14,000 workers. This move follows Tesla’s first year-over-year sales decline in three years, prompting cost-cutting measures to enhance productivity. Despite record EV shipments in 2023, Tesla continued slashing prices and backed away from plans to build a lower-cost EV, opting instead to use the underlying platform to power an alleged robotaxi that purportedly will debut on August 8. Tesla still faces significant headwinds like cooling demand for EVs and increased competition as it readies for its next growth phase.

• Driver in fatal Texas crash was using Ford’s auto driving system, officials say The Guardian, April 11, 2024

  The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced that a fatal crash in Texas earlier this year involved Ford’s partially automated driving system. The crash involved a 2022 Mustang Mach E SUV that was engaged in Ford’s “Blue Cruise” driver-assist system prior to the collision. The Blue Cruise system allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel, and autonomously brakes and accelerates on 97% of controlled access highways in the US and Canada.

  This marks the second fatal collision involving Ford Mustang Mach Es under investigation by the NTSB, as well as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Ford has not yet commented on the NTSB report, but the carmaker continues to cooperate with the investigations.

• BMW is succeeding with electric cars while rivals like Tesla struggle Quartz, April 10, 2024

  EV sales are declining for many car manufacturers, but not for BMW. From January to March, BMW has seen growth of almost 28% compared to the same time a year ago. “The BMW Group is continuing on its [battery electric vehicle] growth path,” Jochen Goller, who oversees brands and sales for BMW’s board of management, said in a statement. “With the delivery of its one-millionth fully-electric vehicle since the market launch of the BMW i3, we have reached an important milestone that confirms the attractiveness of our product portfolio,” Goller added. Other automakers like Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, and even Tesla have reported a decline in sales this year, while Lucid and Rivian are reporting growth.  

• Elon Musk requires ‘FSD’ demo for every prospective Tesla buyer in North America (CNBC, March 25, 2024)

  Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, recently sent an email to employees mandating that customers be shown how to use the Full Self-Driving (FSD) system before completing vehicle deliveries in North America. “Going forward, it is mandatory in North America to install and activate FSD V12.3.1 and take customers on a short test ride before handing over the car,” Musk wrote in an email to staffers on Monday. “Almost no one actually realizes how well (supervised) FSD actually works. I know this will slow down the delivery process, but it is nonetheless a hard requirement.” Musk also announced a one-month trial of FSD for US Tesla cars. These decisions appear squarely aimed at countering criticism from regulators and consumers that Tesla has engaged in false advertising regarding the capabilities and limitations of FSD. 

• GM, Ford will reroute Baltimore shipments after bridge collapse (Reuters, March 26, 2024)

  After the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday morning, the Port of Baltimore has been closed, forcing companies like GM and Ford to reroute their vehicle shipments. The Port of Baltimore is the “busiest” automobile port in the United States, handling over 750,000 vehicles last year, according to the Maryland Port Administration.

  While General Motors stated, “We expect the situation to have minimal impact on our operations. We are working to re-route any vehicle shipments to other ports,” Ford’s Chief Financial Officer John Lawler believes the bridge collapse will have a much bigger influence, stating, “It’s going to have an impact…We’ll have to divert paths to other ports…It will probably length the supply chain a bit.”

  “[T]here will certainly be a disruption,” stated CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation John Bozzella. “Baltimore is the No. 1 automobile port in the U.S., and we’re in touch with federal officials to help them understand the scale of automotive operations there.”

• New cars are now ‘the worst’ products when it comes to protecting consumer data (CNBC, March 23, 2024)

  Cars today are constantly capturing data and many consumers don’t know how their data is being used, or that it’s being used at all.  According to Counterpoint Technology Market Research, by 2030, 95% of cars sold are likely to have embedded technology which opens the door for companies to collect, share or sell data related to driver habits, and other personal information that people may not want shared.  While most car manufacturers allow customers to opt out of data sharing, it can be difficult to find out how to do so as these settings are buried within menus, and doing so often requires disabling useful or desirable features such as navigation, remote unlock and the ability to receive service-related updates.  So how do you protect your data?  Check with the manufacturer to see what your options are for opting out and be sure to periodically review your privacy settings. 

• The EV revolution hinges on upcoming emissions rule (The Verge, March 19, 2024)

  The new timeline in which automakers will need to phase out all gas-powered vehicles for all-electric is expected to be announced this week by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with its new vehicle emissions rules. The EPA’s original proposal, announced in April 2023, called for electric vehicles accounting for 67% of all new vehicles by 2032. However, automakers have called this benchmark “unworkable” as EV sales have continued to slow, and OEMs have struggled to produce vehicles at a reasonable price for consumers. The White House is open to a new proposal to delay the electric vehicle timeline.

  “I strongly believe that EPA final actions on both cars and trucks will be the single most important climate regulation in the history of the country,” stated former senior executive director of the EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality, Margo Oge. “There may be disagreement, how fast, how much, but in my experience…the country needs to move forward by moving away from fossil fuels.”

• US to Investigate Texas Fatal Crash That May Have Involved Ford Partially Automated Driving System (US News & World Report,  March 16, 2024)

  On February 24th, there was fatal crash on Interstate 10 in San Antonio involving a Ford Mustang Mach-E SUV that collied with a Honda CR-V.  The Mach-E crashed into the rear end of the CR-V that was stopped on a lane in the highway with no lights on at approximately 9:50 p.m.  The driver of the CR-V was killed.  The National Transportation Safety Board is sending a team of investigators to work with local police to examine wreckage, collect information about the crash scene and events leading up the accident. “NTSB is investigating this fatal crash due to its continued interest in advanced driver assistance systems and how vehicle operators interact with these technologies,” the agency statement said. Ford’s active driving assistance system, Blue Cruise, allows drivers to take their hands off the wheel while handling steering, braking and acceleration on highways.  Blue Cruise operates on 97% of controlled access highways in the U.S. and Canada. 

•  Tesla Full Self-Driving Beta v12 finally rolls out – get your minds blown (Electrek, March 16, 2024)

  Tesla has reportedly started releasing the highly anticipated update to FSD Beta v12 to a wider fleet of FSD customers, which the automaker hopes will be a precursor to level 4 and 5 automated systems. The new update utilizes “end-to-end neural nets” to power its stack, representing a significant departure from traditional coding methods. According to the article, preliminary reviews have been mixed with some customers noting a lack of significant progress in lane selection and map data accuracy. While the introduction of neural nets shows potential, skepticism remains regarding Tesla’s ability to deliver a fully self-driving system anytime soon.

• Cruise reveals DOJ, SEC probes as it releases internal report on pedestrian crash (TechCrunch, January 25, 2024)

  Just when it seemed the dust may finally be settling on the fallout from Cruise’s handling of an  October 2 incident where a robotaxi struck and then dragged a pedestrian, new probes by the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission were revealed this week. According to an internal report released by law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, a lack of judgement, missteps by leadership, an “us versus them” relationship with regulators and a fixation on correcting the inaccurate media narrative that the Cruise AV, not the human-driven Nissan, had caused the accident were all contributing factors to Cruise’s problems.

  “This myopic focus led Cruise to convey the information about the Nissan hit-and-run driver having caused the Accident to the media, regulators, and other government officials, but to omit other important information about the Accident. Even after obtaining the Full Video, Cruise did not correct the public narrative but continued instead to share incomplete facts and video about the Accident with the media and the public. This conduct has caused both regulators and the media to accuse Cruise of misleading them.”

  The report further notes that “the three senior leaders of the company — the CEO, CLO, and COO — were not actively engaged in the regulatory response for the worst accident in Cruise’s history. Instead, they were trying to piece together what happened after the fact.”

• GM to release plug-in hybrid vehicles, backtracking on product plans (CNBC, January 30, 2024)

  In what appears to be one of the first pivots from a major automaker previously committed to full electrification transition, General Motors announced this week that its new product lineup strategy will prominently feature plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs). Although details of the new strategy were not disclosed, it appears that GM is reconsidering the viability of ICE vehicles supplemented with battery technologies — a concept previously abandoned by most major players in the EV landscape.

  “Let me be clear, GM remains committed to eliminating tailpipe emissions from our light-duty vehicles by 2035, but, in the interim, deploying plug-in technology in strategic segments will deliver some of the environment or environmental benefits of EVs as the nation continues to build this charging infrastructure,” CEO Mary Barra said during the automaker’s quarterly and 2023 earnings call.

  GM’s shifting strategy appears somewhat inconsistent with recent industry messaging and significant capital investment in electrification infrastructure. It remains to be seen whether other automakers will similarly pump the brakes on achieving full electrification as soon as practically feasible.

• Ford will provide free adapters to access Tesla’s Supercharger network (Electrek, January 31, 2024)

  Ford’s CEO, Jim Farley, announced on Twitter today that the carmaker will provide free adapters for Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning owners in order to use Tesla’s Superchargers. After Ford signed a deal with Tesla to access its charging network, nearly all carmakers in North America joined the network, making Tesla’s Supercharging network the new standard.

  “When we announced Ford EVs would et access to Tesla Superchargers, I said we’d send customers a Fast Charging Adapter. I’m please to confirm that eligible #MustangMachE & #F150Lightning owners in the U.S. + Canada can reserve a complimentary adapter starting soon,” announced Farley. Eligible owners can receive the free adapters as early as Spring 2024.

  “Ford wants to make charging more convenient for our customers, and we are adding Tesla Superchargers across the U.S. and Canada to our growing BlueOval Charge Network, which more than doubles the numbers of fast chargers available to Ford EV drivers,” the automaker said.

• Ford to scale back plans for $3.5 billion Michigan battery plant as EV demand disappoints, labor costs rise (CNBC, November 21, 2023)

  Due to projected declines in EV transition rates, supply chain constraints and increased labor costs, Ford Motor announced yesterday that it will significantly scale back production goals and expected employment at its $3.5 billion battery plant in Michigan. Ford also has postponed construction of an additional EV battery plant in Kentucky. These cutbacks follow Ford’s decision last month to reduce or delay planned EV investments by approximately $12 billion due to deteriorating economic conditions.

  “We’re still very bullish on EVs and our EV strategy, but clearly, while there is growth, both in the U.S. and worldwide, clearly, the growth isn’t at the rate that we and others had expected,” Ford Chief Communications Officer Mark Truby said. “We’re trying to be smart about this and how we move forward.”

• How the Tesla Cybertruck’s Price and Range Will Determine Its Fate (BNN Bloomberg, November 20, 2023)

  Tesla’s Cybertruck Delivery Event on November 30 is quickly approaching. A Cybertruck can be seen on display at the Tesla showroom in San Diego, California, and many people have seen Cybertrucks in transport on US highways on their way to Texas.

  In its 2019 reveal, the Cybertruck was advertised as having more than 300 miles of range per charge at a price point under $50,000 to compete with the Ford F-150. However, due to the unexpected cost of producing the vehicle, as well as inflation, the Cybertruck could end up at approximately $60,000, though the price has not yet been announced. And while a 300-mile battery range is still impressive, it pales in comparison to a Chevrolet Silverado EV truck, which has a 400+ mile battery range, and the recently announced Ram 1500 REV, which is expected to have 500 miles of range.

  Jessica Caldwell, head of insights for Edmunds, stated “This is going to be the toughest vehicle for Tesla to launch. It’s going to sell really well initially because it does really resonate with some buyers, but not the mass market. That’s where the problem is.”

  Over a million people have paid $100 to reserve their place in line to purchase a Cybertruck, a number that Musk has stated is enough to support several years of Cybertruck sales.

• US lawmakers raise concerns over Chinese self-driving testing data collection (Reuters, November 16, 2023)

  Increased testing of autonomous vehicles on U.S. roadways by Chinese technology companies has caught the attention of a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers, who requested 10 Chinese-related companies to answer questions by Nov. 29 regarding their ongoing collection and handling of sensitive personal data. The lawmakers concern stems from their belief that Chinese AV companies are routinely collecting “sensitive information about our citizens and their daily routines, the nation’s infrastructure, and connected technologies.”

  “There needs to be greater transparency around what information you collect while testing on American roads, and whether you are financially tied to the Chinese Communist Party,” according to the previously unreported letters.

• AAA study finds ADAS could save more than 8,000 lives per year (AutoBlog, August 17, 2023)

  Using crash data from 2017-19, researchers at the University of North Carolina, with support from the American Automotive Association’s (AAA) Foundation for Traffic Safety, have worked up models for “how many motor vehicle crashes, injuries, and deaths ADAS technologies are likely to prevent over the next 30 years.” Using these models as a baseline, researchers predict that, through 2050, ADAS could prevent 27 million crashes, 14 million injuries, and 250,000 deaths.

  The report, titled “Examining the Safety Benefits of Partial Vehicle Automation Technologies in an Uncertain Future,” conceded that its estimates “are subject to substantial uncertainty” due to the evolving efficacy of the technology, adequate system safeguards, and consumer adoption. Dr. David Yang, president and executive director of the AAA Foundation, added that “[the] full safety benefits of ADAS will not be realized unless they are fully understood by the consumer, used properly, and widely adopted.”

• Ford Faces Federal Probe Over 2022 Mustang Mach-E Recall (Bloomberg, August 21, 2023)

  In June 2022, Ford issued a safety recall impacting nearly 49,000 2021 and 2022 Mustang Mach-E models manufactured at the company’s plant in Cuautitlan, Mexico. Ford temporarily halted deliveries of the vehicles to dealerships and deployed two software updates to address overheating of high-voltage battery main contactors during DC fast charging, which resulted in power failures.

  After receiving numerous customer complaints that the battery issue continued to persist even after the over-the-air software patch was deployed, NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has announced it is opening an investigation known as a recall query. A document posted to NHTSA’s website on Monday noted that the investigation, which increased the number of recalls involved in the recall inquiry to 64,727, will “assess the remedy” prescribed in Ford’s recall.

  According to information provided by NHTSA, Ford has issued 38 recalls so far this year, more than any other automaker.

• Grieving widow sues Tesla over deadly Model 3 crash and explosion (TechCrunch, August 22, 2023)

  Tesla has been sued in New York federal court by the widow of Jyung Woo Hahn, who was killed in March 2022 when his Tesla Model 3 crashed on the Palisades Parkway. Jiyoung Yoon claims that the Tesla “malfunctioned and collided with a tree and immediately burst into flames,” trapping her husband and the father of two children inside.

  First responders reported that the fire was difficult to extinguish, requiring more than 1,000 gallons of water. According to this article: “When a lithium-ion battery is ruptured, a process called thermal runaway happens, which results in a sharp increase of battery cell temperature and pressure, accompanied by the release of flammable gas. The flammable gas can ignite from the battery’s high temperature, resulting in a quick fire that’s hard to put out and emits toxic fumes. Tesla’s batteries span the entire length and width of the floor of its vehicles, making a fire that much more encompassing.”

  The full complaint against Tesla can be accessed here (warning: it contains graphic photographs of the charred vehicle). The claims asserted sound in strict liability, negligence, and breach of implied warranty of merchantability.

Tesla has long enjoyed a competitive advantage in the EV space by providing charging via its Supercharging stations, the largest and most reliable charging network in North America by a wide margin. This superior fast-charging network was a key aspect of Tesla’s early sales pitch to reticent electrification converts—and it has remained a key component of the company’s tremendous success since.

Tesla historically walled of its charging network by using a proprietary plug design known as the North American Charging Standard (NACS), which until very recently was not compatible with other automakers’ EVs that typically charge using the Combined Charging System (CCS) plug standard. Through the use of NACS, Tesla has been able to tightly integrate its entire charging ecosystem, while other competing charging networks have remained fragmented and unreliable. In a study last year, researchers at the University of California at Berkeley found that almost a quarter of the 675 CCS fast chargers in the San Francisco Bay Area were inoperable, while a more comprehensive August 2022 study by JD Power concluded that Tesla’s Supercharger network was far more reliable than CCS chargers in other parts of the country.

Given the superiority of Tesla’s Supercharger network and the concomitant economic advantage Tesla has maintained over its competitors as a result, many were shocked by announcements over the past few months that Tesla had reached agreements with Ford, GM, Mercedes-Benz, Polestar, Volvo, Nissan, Fisker, and Rivian to make the Tesla Supercharger network available to their drivers through an adapted NACS port. Initial reactions saw these deals as a curious concession by Tesla that could finally level the charging playing field and allow other automakers to ramp up sales of their own EVs.

So why did Tesla let its competitors inside the gates of its charging network? At first glance, it appears that Tesla will certainly add additional revenue to its coffers from increased use of its charging ports. Indeed, analyst Piper Sandler estimates that, by 2030, Tesla will earn $3 billion in charging fees from non-Tesla drivers. Tesla also may reap the benefits of the implicit endorsement of its technology as the superior standard, which could further result in a share of the public EV-charging subsidies available under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

From a public relations standpoint, Tesla has consistently maintained that the primary reason for opening up its Supercharger network is to assist the acceleration of EV adoption and the world’s transition to sustainable energy by removing infrastructure barriers. Upon closer examination, however, Tesla’s motives may be far less altruistic. In fact, the real impetus for Tesla’s sudden change of heart may simply be what is quickly becoming the equivalent of gold in the connected car market: data, and lots of it. 

It is no secret that Tesla uses cellular and WiFi data ports to collect what one investigation called a “hoard” of data about any car that plugs into its Supercharger network, tracking a plethora of data points from vehicle performance to driver preferences. By letting it competitors freely access its chargers, Tesla may also be covertly positioning itself to siphon critical and highly valuable vehicle data from its competitors under the guise of charging collaboration. In addition to affording invaluable insight into its competitors’ EV specifications and performance, this move may also provide Tesla with yet another lucrative revenue stream in the form of vehicle data sales, which some predict could be worth more than $800 billion by the end of the decade.

Tesla’s bid to get the entire EV industry to adopt its NACS plug could be a harbinger of Tesla’s future designs on supplying or licensing its arguably superior technology to other automakers who either don’t want to or can’t invest sufficient capital to develop EV components or technology organically. In fact, Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently confirmed during an earnings call that Tesla is in advanced discussions with major OEMs regarding the licensing of its Autopilot and FSD technology, which not so coincidentally would require other automakers to onboard both Tesla’s software and hardware suites, thus creating yet another trove of accessible vehicle data.

By continuing to leverage its competitive advantages through the utilization of unparalleled access to a broad range of vehicle data, Tesla may actually be implementing an ingenious plan to corner the EV market on key components such as technology, batteries, plugs, chargers, and even drivetrains. Yes, we are talking about a future EV landscape, backed by public subsides at every level, that could be completely dominated by Tesla. 

Regardless of Tesla’s actual intentions, it is becoming more and more apparent that access to vehicle data is the gateway to innovation and market dominance. In this regard, Tesla certainly appears to have a substantial leg up on all other automakers, who seem to always be a little late to the EV game, which whether you like him or hate him, is currently being dominated by Elon Musk.

Copyright Nelson Niehaus LLC

The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Firm, its clients, or any of its or their respective affiliates. This blog post is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.