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Elon Musk said Tesla cars will likely drive without human assistance by the end of 2019

Tesla Roadster

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Wednesday that he expects Tesla vehicles to be able to safely drive themselves without human assistance by the end of 2019.

“When will we think it’s safe for full self-driving? It’s probably towards the end of this year, and then it’s up to regulators to decide when they want to approve that,” he said during the automaker’s fourth-quarter earnings call.

Read more: Elon Musk said he expects Tesla to deliver around 50% more cars than last year, even if there’s a global recession

Musk has missed projections about autonomous driving technology on multiple occasions. In 2015, Musk said Tesla would have fully-autonomous driving technology ready in about two years, and Tesla has passed multiple deadlines set by Musk to send a self-driving vehicle across the US.

During Wednesday’s call, Musk also characterized Tesla’s semi-autonomous Autopilot driver assistance system as having full self-driving capability on the highway.

“We already have full self-driving capability on highways. So from highway on-ramp to highway exit, including passing cars and going from one highway interchange to another, full self-driving capability is there,” he said.

Musk’s description of Autopilot’s capabilities contrasts with the owner’s manual for Tesla’s Model 3 sedan, which instructs owners to remain in control of their vehicle when using Autopilot.

“Never depend on these components to keep you safe,” the manual says of Autopilot’s features. “It is the driver’s responsibility to stay alert, drive safely and be in control of the vehicle at all times.”

Tesla has received criticism for how it has promoted Autopilot, and fatal accidents involving the feature have raised questions about whether drivers place too much trust in it and fail to pay attention to the road. Tesla says Autopilot is meant to be used with an attentive driver whose hands are on the wheel, but the most visible accidents involving Autopilot have involved reports of distracted drivers.

In October, Consumer Reports released its rankings of four semi-autonomous driver-assistance systems. Autopilot ranked second, behind Cadillac’s Super Cruise, with the highest rating among the four for capability and performance and ease of use, but the lowest for keeping drivers engaged.

Tesla on Wednesday announced its earnings from the fourth quarter of 2018. The automaker posted adjusted earnings of $1.93 per share on revenue of $7.23 billion. Wall Street analysts had expected adjusted earnings of $2.10 per share on revenue of $7.1 billion.

Top 7 Electric Crossover SUVs w/ 250 Miles of Range

New battery-electric vehicles that will released for the model years of 2018 and 2019 could possibly shift the attention of consumers away from Tesla. Audi, Hyundai and at least a couple new manufacturers finally matured enough to make their own all-electric cars in the crossover SUV bodies. This video can serve as a quick overview of current market situation. Some cars are already on sale in the USA, Canada, Europe, Asia and China, so we were able to add prices and final technical information about them, while some are waiting for their first public debuts (companies already confirmed their production, though). Short list of things this video presentation will teach you (information about the sourced used in making this video are in the end of the presentation; image by autoblog.com/2018/02/27/hyundai-kona-electric-suv-revealed): – Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo can finally set the company to the path of electrifying their whole lineup. The 600hp E Cross Turismo SUV will be good for urban and offroad driving thanks to rugged tires and 310 miles of range; – Jaguar I-Pace is slightly bigger than most of cars on the list. Despite this, it will still show great range and be slightly cheaper than Tesla’s SUV. – Hyundai Kona is the competitor for the domination among more affordable EV options. Hyundai are known for making cars with competitive pricing and good specifications, so Kona Electric is the first long-range option to Bolt EV. – Chevrolet Bolt EV is usually described as the uncool all-electric car. Customers, who are not chasing the hype could have the time of their lives driving this car: it has the range of over 200 miles and low price compared to most of the competition. – Nio ES8 is the cheaper alternative to Model X that was created for the Chinese market. The main selling point of this big SUV is its pricing. For the smaller amount of money, you get cars that are not less advanced than ones created by Elon Musk’s company. – Audi Etron is scheduled to start rolling out of the production lines in the second half of 2018. Consumers in Europe can already place their reservations for Audi’s first long-range SUV. – Tesla Model X: no list is complete without this product. Although everyone is chasing Elon Musk, in 99% of cases Tesla remains on top. Let’s see if anything changes for them this year.

Rock Your Electric Road Trip with these Essential Items

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There are those who say that when you drive an electric car, it is a less joyous experience than driving a traditional vehicle. Of course, those of us who know and love electric cars know that is anything but true.

 

In fact, driving an electric car, which is powerful, but silent, and fast, yet very clean has to be one of the best experiences there is. Oh, there’s the little matter that they’re much more economical to run, which means you can have more fun in them too! That’s why electric cars are almost perfect for road tripping.

 

Why do I say almost? Because as great as electric cars are, there are a number of gadgets and products that will make any road trip rock more…

 

The CarStations App

 

Probably the most important thing you’ll need if you plan to road trip in an electric car is the CarStations app, or one similar to it. Why? Because although gas stations are aplenty, places where you can easily charge your electric car are still not as abundant as they should be. Having this app, which will let you see where all of the available charging points are will make it much easier for you to have a successful electric road trip experience.

 

A Decent Amplifier

 

Most cars, electric or otherwise, do not come with really rocking sound systems as standard, which is a real shame because everyone knows that the second best thing about being on a road trip – the first being the journey itself -is the road trip playlist. So, if you want to ensure that your road trip truly rocks, check out these car amplifier reviews and ratings and act accordingly. Then, take out your smartphone or mp3 player and start adding some of these classic road trip tracks to your playlist. Bliss!

 

The Minipresso

 

The Minipresso is truly a godsend to the coffee lover who’s on the road. Why? Because it enables you to make a cup of high-quality coffee wherever you are. It’s operated by hand, so you don’t even have to worry about finding somewhere to plug it in – you can just crank it up and get your daily fix, even if you are out exploring in the middle of nowhere.

 

An Emergency Kit

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Unfortunately, road trips don’t always go as smoothly as we would like them to, but as long as you have a decent auto-emergency kit, like the ones sold by AAA, you should be able to deal with most minor problems quickly and effectively. Safety first and all that.

 

Windshield Coating

 

Coating the windshield of your vehicle is a good way of ensuring that you have maximum visibility when you’re out on the road on those less than perfect days when the weather isn’t playing ball. You can purchase it in a portable form, which you can add to your windshield yourself, and which will last for six months if you want to keep costs down and it will really help you to have an easier time when you’re off on the road.

 

Effective Air Fresheners

 

If you and your road trip buddies are going to be spending a lot of time in your car (which you undoubtedly will be on a road trip), and especially if you’re going to be sleeping in there on occasion, then you’re going to want to invest in a few effective car air fresheners. That will help to keep the interior smelling sweet, as will opening the windows and feeling the wind in your hair as often as possible.

 

The Pelican Elite Cooler

 

The Pelican Elite Cooler is the perfect road trip companion because it will keep your snacks and beverages cool and refreshing for as long as ten days, It’s also leak-proof, so you won’t have to worry about it making a mess of your car’s interior.

 

Vacuum Packed Storage Bags

 

If your electric car’s trunk space isn’t as big as you would like, then invest in some vacuum packed storage bags, and you will be able to fit more clothing and provisions into the vehicle than you even though possible. This is good news because you won’t have to wear the same dirty clothes for long, nor will you have to limit yourself to just a handful of practical outfits.

 

Travel Pillows

 

It makes sense to pack travel pillows when you’re heading out on a road trip because, even if you plan to stop at a motel or whatever every night, there could be times when you need to nap between driving or when you simply don’t make it to your planned destination and you need to crash, having travel pillows,and blankets or sleeping bags too, for that matter, in the car will help you to get a more comfortable night’s sleep.

 

A Cell Phone Mount

 

If you don’t want to invest in an expensive GPS system, then simply invest in a cell phone mount that will enable you to safely look at the maps on your cell phone as you drive. Depending on where you’re traveling too, you might want to pay for a specific GPS app to ensure that you can find your way around with ease, but it will likely be much cheaper than having to buy the whole shebang.

 

A Mobile Hotspot

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If you have a cell plan that allows you to tether your cell to other devices, then you can do without this, but if you do not have that capability, then it may well be worth investing in a mobile hotspot that will enable you and your road trip buddies to connect your phones, tablets, computers and any other devices you may need to use during the course of your trip to the world wide web when you’re out in more remote places where you can’t easily find free Wi-Fi or as you’re traveling and therefore unable to connect to one particular source of free Wi-Fi for an extended period of time.

 

Time to hit the road. Have a great time!

Super Cheap Ways to Make your Car Look Great

Your car is a huge investment and if you want to make it look great then there are a couple of things that you need to take into account. After all, you need to make sure that it is accessorised and you also need to make sure that it is clean and polished as well.

Cleaning your Car

Every time you get out of your car, make an effort to take any rubbish out. You also need to try and focus on your interior detailing as well. For example, are there any marks that you could cover up? Is it possible for you to replace the gear shifter knob? Little things like this can make a huge difference to your car and by simply dusting your dashboard you can really improve the general appearance of your vehicle. Organizing your car also helps and you don’t have to spend a ton of money on organisational tools or spiffy hardware. Try and consider using ziplock bags to keep all of your car manuals together, or even use cable tidies to keep your phone wires together. Of course, it’s understandable that you won’t want to wax your car every month, but do consider doing it a couple of times a year. It also won’t hurt to put it through a car wash from time to time, and make sure that you give the alloys a good scrub as well.

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Floor Mats

The first thing that will get ruined in your car is probably going to be your floor mat. If your car has the original floor mat that it came with and it is in great condition then you have nothing to worry about here, but if you don’t or if you know that your car mats are in bad condition then you may want to get these replaced. When you do get them replaced, try and opt for rubber mats. Felt mats can store mud and moisture, and all of this can lead to a mould build up. Eventually you’ll have to buy a brand new set and this can cost you a ton of money as well. Rubber on the other hand, can be cleaned time and time again.

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Car Body

If you have dents or dings in your car then why not consider getting them fixed? A Jeep rear bumper for example is very easy to buy and very easy to replace as well so you can easily bring your old car back to life. If you haven’t cleaned your windshield wipers in a while then you need to get a microfibre cloth so that you can get all of the dust and debris that you have accumulated over the years. This will help to keep your glass clean and it is a great way for you to really boost the general appearance of your car.

Other things that you can do include replacing the alloys, the door handles or the trim underneath the car. These things are a little bit more expensive but they can make all the difference.

 

3 Reasons You Should Lease Your Next Car

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As the technology that goes into cars gets better and better, they are also gradually increasing in price. While this is part and parcel of creating some incredible new vehicles and pushing the boundaries, it is problematic for people who are passionate about cars and love driving but simply can’t afford those prices. This means that if you are looking for a new car – hybrid, electric or otherwise – you should start considering other methods for funding your transportation.

In the future, it seems very likely that we won’t have our own cars at all. Self driving vehicles are looking increasingly viable as a wide-scale option, opening up the opportunity for people to effectively hire the nearest car rather than owning their own. This lifestyle makes a lot of sense on both an economical level and an environmental level.

But this future doesn’t have to be that far away. In recent years, car leasing has become more and more popular. You get to lease the perfect car for you and in a few years time you can switch it up for a better model, incorporating new technologies and more green credentials. While we don’t have self-driving cars just yet, we can certainly start to learn how to share assets much better and begin to let go of the notion of ownership.

So, what is so good about leasing?

Fit in With Your Monthly Expenses

Leasing is one of the best ways to get a car when you don’t quite have the money to buy one. Cars are expensive and getting more and more expensive as time goes on. This can make it quite tricky for people who require a car but aren’t earning enough just yet to acquire the savings in time, like first time car buyers.

As a good compromise, leasing allows you to figure out how much you can afford to spend out of your monthly budget on your car. With this money, you can then lease a car without having to put down a deposit to begin with. In other words you get the car you want, right now, without having to save up for one first.

Fitting any large expense into your monthly budget can be quite difficult but luckily there are a wide range of cars available to lease. At the end of your lease, you can choose to either swap your car for a new model that will suit your new needs, or you can lease your same car again. This is slightly different to paying for a car on finance as you won’t own your leased car at the end of your contract. However, the monthly payments are quite a lot cheaper so this could be a better option if you are shorter on cash. You can read a little more about the differences between leasing and financing online at www.wcvolvocars.com.

Upgrade to Enjoy a New Car at the End of Your Lease

One of the most exciting things about your lease is that once it ends you can upgrade to get a better car that will suit your needs. As technology and cars are moving along at a rapid pace, this is a really good advantage to have as in a few years time, you can’t even imagine what kinds of changes will have been made. Having the ability to join in straight away will be really very exciting!

This might sound a bit weird if you haven’t thought of leasing a car before, but think of it like a cell phone. We all know how quickly cell phones have suddenly taken off with brand new technologies seeming to appear almost every month. The car industry may be a slightly slower industry given that a car is a much larger investment for anyone to make, but it is rapidly catching up and now this attitude to leasing rather than owning is taking off. And, when you think about it that way, it makes a lot more sense.

Your Car is Protected Under Warranty

One of the biggest worries that drivers have is that should anything go wrong with their car, they will have to pay to get it fixed again. This is particularly worrying when you have already spent pretty much all you have on buying the car in the first place!

With a lease, the car you are driving will be protected and covered so that if there are any problems, this won’t be coming out of your pocket, but will be paid for by the warranty. This means that while you should certainly continue to take excellent care of your car and drive sensibly and safely at all times, if there are any problems, you won’t need to worry about covering the cost.

This is a huge bonus if you are looking for an electric car or a hybrid as these cars are generally much more expensive to fix when they go wrong as they contain specially made parts that can often only be fitted by a particular garage or technician. Knowing this will also help to bring your insurance cover down as your insurer will not be shouldering the cost of these repairs either.

Leasing a car might not sound like it’s for you, but even if you only look at these three reasons to lease your next car, it is clear that there are a few significant advantages at play as the technology in cars improves at a rapidly increasing rate, you don’t want to get left behind the times when you know that the next awesome breakthrough in efficiency is coming. Being able to change your car regularly will allow you to stay on top of the trends without breaking the bank or having to save up a ridiculous amount for a deposit.

Take control of your car and take control of the future. Leasing is a trend that will soon be working for everyone and the sooner you climb on board, the more likely it is that industries will work to develop a future where everyone has a way of travelling around easily and efficiently – where you don’t need to be wealthy to have a stake in the best of the city.

How To Prepare Your Vehicle For Business Uses

Being able to drive is a wonderful privilege that we have, and while being able to get from A to B easier and faster than walking, our cars can be used for much more than just transportation. Many people use their cars for business purposes, whether that be to get them to business meetings, pick up clients, or even advertise their own business. If you’re looking to utilize your car for business uses, take a look at the advice in this article so that you can be safe on the roads, while driving in comfort at the same time.

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Use radar detectors

For those who don’t know, radar detectors are installed in cars to alert you when you’re going too fast and when there are police detectors nearby. This could prove massively helpful if you’re using your car for business purposes because not only will it save you from gaining points on your license, but it will also save your business from creating a bad reputation. Take a look at the best undetectable radar detector and buy yourself one to protect yourself, others, and also your business.

Keep business cards and merchandise in your car

Ensuring that you constantly have a supply of merchandise and business cards in your car will allow you to do business wherever you are. Even if you’re not on a business trip, it’s likely that you will run into someone and begin talking about your business, and having everything ready in your car could gain you more customers! Make sure that they are kept flat and away from any damp so that if the time comes that you are showing off your business, that you look professional and prepared.

Have it serviced regularly

Like all cars, there’s a chance that your car could break down at some point, which will obviously not be good for business, especially if you have places that you need to be. Getting your car serviced regularly will give you that extra bit of reassurance that your car is going to be reliable through all journeys that you need to make. Also, having it serviced more regularly will likely prevent any pricey fixes coming your way because your mechanic should be able to pick up on small problems before they turn into larger and more expensive ones.

Add some homely touches

Being a business owner means you will probably be spending a considerable amount of time in your car, travelling to clients and other meetings. Take the time to make your car more homely so that you can travel in comfort. Things you could add to your car include:

  • Hands free set
  • Seat warmers
  • GPS
  • Snacks and water
  • An improved sound system

There are many other things you could add, but the above would make any journey much more bearable.

Use these tips to prepare your car for business uses and you will soon find yourself in a safe and productive car that can help you and your business.