On May 9th, workers at Tesla’s Fremont factory in northern California were left staring at a still production line, which is an unusual sight to say the least. Aerial images of the final cars in the outbound lot showed them lined up and ready to be picked up by their new owners, just like they used to be, though these weren’t quite like the typical batch. There were only 250 Model S cars and 100 Model X SUVs produced, all of which included the Plaid powertrain and a number of handcrafted features that set them apart.

Tesla owners with HW4 hardware awoke today to get a lot more out of their automobiles. The most recent FSD (Full Self-Driving) version 14.3 was released with the recently released software update 2026.2.9.6, and it’s impossible not to get the impression that some significant progress has been achieved since the first drive. The team basically ditched the existing AI compiler / runtime and started over, using a new method called MLIR.

Jay Leno climbed into the cab of a Tesla Semi, settled into the center seat, and eased the truck forward with a fully loaded trailer in tow, right there on the tarmac outside his garage. The 500 mile range variant, and by all accounts it felt planted and composed from the moment it started moving, even with another Semi trailing behind it.

Tesla brought a Cybercab prototype to SXSW 2026 for a few days of public viewing alongside their Optimus humanoid robot, and the crowds responded exactly as you might expect. Cameras were out everywhere, and a lucky few even managed to slip inside for a moment. The display itself was deliberately understated, with the Cybercab parked in a single spot rather than moving under its own power, letting the design do the talking.

A new Tesla Cybertruck model will make a limited appearance at $59,990, with a dual-motor all-wheel-drive option available for only the next ten days. Elon Musk has set a tight timetable for it, giving a sense of urgency to a truck that is already turning attention with its angular design and stainless steel body.

Tesla has made considerable progress toward fully autonomous vehicles, and its staff at Gigafactory Texas are clearly excited. Just the other day, they gathered around the first Cybercab to roll off the assembly line, a streamlined two-seater with no visible steering wheel or pedals, and Tesla even shared the moment on social media, complete with a congratulatory message from Elon Musk himself on the team’s excellent work.