Kurt Wagner, a Bloomberg social media reporter, joins the discussion fresh from the Cannes Lions Festival. He dives into Tesla's robotaxi launch in Austin, analyzing the mix of excitement and skepticism surrounding its capabilities. The conversation shifts to X's advertising struggles, highlighting Musk's attempts to pressure advertisers amidst legal threats. They also touch on the aftermath of a SpaceX rocket explosion and Musk's quirky tech habits, notably his lack of a traditional computer, providing a humorous look at the CEO's unconventional approach.
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Tesla's Quiet Robotaxi Launch
Tesla launched its robo-taxi quietly in Austin with just a handful of vehicles driving in circles.
Influencers with early access filmed rides, revealing the cautious, low-key debut with a safety monitor present.
insights INSIGHT
Tesla Robotaxi Is Highly Supervised
The Tesla robo-taxi fleet is tiny, highly supervised, and geographically limited.
Current tests include safety monitors ready to intervene, reflecting far from the promised full autonomy.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Exclusive Access for Tesla Fans
Early rides were given only to Tesla influencers and loyal fans, excluding outsiders like the reporters.
This exclusive access revealed the brand's tight control over early robotaxi experiences.
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In 'Battle for the Bird,' Kurt Wagner chronicles the tumultuous history of Twitter, from its humble beginnings as a 140-character microblogging platform to its emergence as a global force shaping politics, culture, and communication. The book delves into the $44 billion takeover by Elon Musk, the rise and fall of key figures like @RealDonaldTrump, and the relentless challenges faced by the company. Wagner provides a meticulous and riveting account through deeply sourced, exclusive interviews, highlighting the clash of visions between Jack Dorsey and Elon Musk and the impact on the flow of news and information.
Over the weekend, while the world was transfixed by war in the Middle East, the Tesla Robotaxi quietly appeared on the streets of Austin, Texas. It didn’t stay quiet for long, though. As a handful of Tesla influencers filmed themselves driven through the streets of the red state’s famously blue capital, their smartphone videos caught plenty of traffic violations.
In this week’s episode David Papadopoulos is joined by Max Chafkin as well as Bloomberg electric vehicles reporter Kara Carlson to break down the launch. Years in the making, and with rivals like Waymo already familiar sights in some big US cities, will Elon Musk be able to spin this as something other than a tepid attempt at catch-up? Tesla investors seem to think so: the stock jumped 8.2% on Monday.
Papadopoulos and Chafkin are then joined by Bloomberg social media reporter Kurt Wagner, just back from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Wagner discusses X’s participation, or rather absence, from the all-important advertising event, and goes through how Musk’s embattled social media platform has reportedly tried to strong-arm advertisers to return by threatening lawsuits. This prompted Papadopoulos to speculate about the equivalent situation for hot dog vendors or shovel salesmen.
Lastly, the crew discuss a few additional news item from the week, namely an exploding SpaceX rocket and the recent report that Musk doesn’t use a computer.
Elon, Inc. 