★ Real Artists Ship, Tesla Edition
If you think Musk is either completely legitimate and trustworthy or an utter fraud, you are wrong. He has led his companies to extraordinary accomplishments, *and* he has made promises based on complete bullshit. He is a shameless bullshitter who *sometimes* delivers.
Nine years after attempting to revive the Roadster, Tesla is attempting again, reports Ars Technica. CEO Elon Musk has moved the company's headquarters to Texas, yet once more, he has returned to California's entertainment industry to promote his products. In the past, he utilized a Hollywood backlot for a remote-controlled Cybercab demonstration; last night, he employed outdated stunt technology to perform aerial maneuvers with a show car.
Musk asserts that the Roadster will enter production by 2028, but he has a history of overpromising and underdelivering. In 2017, he declared, "We are making it now." Some individuals were in line for two complimentary cars through the company's referral program, but those cars never arrived, nor did those for which people had placed $50,000 deposits.
Sam Altman recently experienced the difficulty of reclaiming his $50,000 deposit. While a stunt show might seem entertaining, it does not necessarily increase the likelihood of Tesla delivering the Roadster as promised. The Reuters story suggests that Tesla may sell cars capable of performing such stunts, much like how George Lucas's Star Wars movie influenced Ronald Reagan's "Star Wars" missile defense system.
The Tesla Roadster is vaporware, but Elon Musk excels at diverting attention from unshipped vaporware by staging impressive demonstrations. Two years ago, it was robots that turned out to be fakes; last night, the car stunt involved real events akin to David Copperfield's magic act. Over at Jalopnik, Amber DaSilva offers a contrasting perspective, stating that Tesla has frequently made up specs for its cars, made unverified claims, and now presents even more ambitious statements.
The demonstration cars might have been mere shells with just enough equipment to facilitate the tests, and the 0.81-second zero-to-60 mph claim was neither displayed with an on-screen timer nor independently verified. Tesla has yet to substantiate any claims regarding the new Roadster's real-world performance or its feasibility from a scientific standpoint.
Roadster preorders have resumed, with the company once again accepting $50,000 checks to reserve a vehicle that will supposedly be manufactured in two years. However, the company has not disclosed how it will handle reservations made for the car announced nine years ago, which differs significantly from the present-day model. Moreover, there is uncertainty about whether Tesla will allocate any additional funds to a dubious cause if it profits from the Roadster name.
On Threads, Benedict Evans reiterates his longstanding view of Elon Musk as a bullshitter who occasionally delivers. Despite his accomplishments, Musk has often made promises based on falsehoods. He is a shameless bullshitter who sometimes succeeds. However, it is essential to recognize that he is neither entirely trustworthy nor an outright fraud.
His actions sometimes align with reality, making the ambiguity worth considering. Tesla's vehicles are remarkable, and their self-driving technology is among the best in the consumer market. Although Musk's predictions can appear implausible, some of his innovations, such as "space internet," have proven to be true. Tesla may ultimately deliver a great Roadster in 2028, but it is impossible to guarantee their success.
Written by urgent.news from Daring Fireball's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
