Tesla says Elon Musk’s statements on self-driving ‘might have been deep fakes’ in bizarre defense
Tesla has decided to use a bizarre defense in a lawsuit brought by the family of a Tesla owner who died in an accident while using Autopilot a few years ago.
The automaker claimed that CEO Elon Musk shouldn’t be made available to explain some of his statements on self-driving because some of the public comments might have been “deep fakes.”
The lawsuit revolves around the death of Walter Huang, an Apple engineer who died in his Tesla Model X while driving to work in 2018.
As we previously reported, the Model X was driving on Autopilot when it entered the median of a ramp on the highway as if it was a lane and hit a barrier about 150 meters after going into the median.
The impact was quite severe because there was no crash attenuator since it was already destroyed from a previous crash. The driver was rushed to the hospital, but he died of his injuries.
NHTSA investigated the accident and confirmed that the vehicle was using Autopilot at the time of the crash, but it blamed the driver, who was playing a video game on his phone at the time of the accident, according to the phone data, and on the lack of crash attenuator.
Tesla asks drivers always to pay attention and be ready to take control when using Autopilot.
The Huang family decided to sue anyway, and they are trying to use the argument that some of Tesla’s and, more specifically, some of CEO Elon Musk’s comments about Autopilot and self-driving have led Huang to believe he could use Autopilot in the manner that led to the crash.
The lawsuit is set to go to trial in Santa Clara County Superior Court this year, but Tesla has tried to keep Musk and his statements out of the case with a quite bizarre defense.
The automaker is claiming that some of the statements that Musk is believed to have made might have been “deep fakes,” and therefore he shouldn’t be questioned on them.
Deep fakes generally mean synthetic media that have been digitally manipulated to replace one person’s likeness convincingly with that of another, but people also use the term to refer to CGI videos made to make someone say something that they didn’t actually say.
Judge Evette D. Pennypacker didn’t buy the argument. She said in her judgment (via The Telegraph):
Their position is that because Mr Musk is famous and might be more of a target for deep fakes, his public statements are immune. In other words, Mr Musk, and others in his position, can simply say whatever they like in the public domain, then hide behind the potential for their recorded statements being a deep fake to avoid taking ownership of what they did actually say and do.
She has ruled that Musk should be made available for an interview of up to three hours to discuss his statements about Tesla Autopilot and Full Self-Driving.
Electrek’s Take
That’s bizarre. If Tesla thinks some of the statements are deep fakes, it should say exactly which ones and try to prove it. But the capability to create deep fakes certainly doesn’t make anyone immune to scrutiny on their statement.
Also, it’s not like we don’t know for a fact that Musk has made some fairly ambitious statements about Tesla Autopilot and Full Self-Driving.
Is he now going to claim that he never said that Tesla would have 1 million robotaxis on the road by the end of the year three years ago? Was it a deep fake? Was it also a deep fake when he said it again the next year? That’s just ridiculous and worrying that Tesla would try such a defense. I guess that Tesla’s new “hardcore litigation team” at work.
However, in this case, the Huang family is facing an uphill battle because despite Musk’s comments about what he believes Tesla could achieve with self-driving in the future, Tesla has always been clear about how drivers should use Autopilot.
Every time you activate Autopilot, it tells the driver to keep their hands on the steering wheel and be ready to take control at all times. The data points toward the fact that Huang was playing a video game, not paying attention, and had plenty of time to react when the car went into the median and before hitting the barrier. He was clearly not using Autopilot as intended.
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Mercedes-Benz introduced an all-in-one mobile EV charging machine, “ELF,” that promises to unlock charging speeds as quick as filling up at the pump.
Mercedes-Benz unveils the ELF mobile EV charging van
It may look like an electric van, but Mercedes-Benz claims ELF is much more than just any ordinary vehicle. It’s “a symbol of a bold new era in charging,” the luxury brand said on Thursday.
The nickname comes from the German term Experimental-Lade-Fahrzeug (ELF), which translates to Experimental Charging Vehicle.
The Mercedes-Benz ELF is an all-in-one mobile EV powerhouse that combines ultra-fast, bidirectional, inductive, and conductive charging. It’s based on the Mercedes V-Class people carrier and is equipped with five unique charging ports.
It will act as a rolling test lab, promising to unlock faster, more convenient, and sustainable electric vehicle charging.
The ELF features two fast charging systems: A standard Combined Charging System (CCS) and a heavy-duty Megawatt Charging System (MCS).
Mercedes is “testing the limits of CCS,” claiming the ELF can achieve a charging capacity of up to 900 kW, or enough to add 100 kWh in about 10 minutes. The MCS system, on the other hand, was initially developed for heavy-duty electric trucks, which Mercedes says unlocks charging capacities in the megawatt range.
The company is already using the all-in-one mobile EV charging rig to improve charging on its upcoming vehicles.
For example, the Concept AMG GT XX hit a peak charging power of 1,041 kW during megawatt charging after its record-breaking run in Nardò in August.
Mercedes collaborated with Alpitronic to develop a high-performance EV charging station capable of delivering up to 1,000 amps through a modified CCS commercial truck charger. The company is now using what it has learned to develop a new generation of ultra-fast chargers for use at Mercedes-Benz parks.
According to Mercedes, the new chargers will deliver speeds “that differ only minimally from the conventional refuelling process.”
The ELF is not only capable of absorbing electricity, but Mercedes-Benz is using it to its full potential with bidirectional charging capabilities.
Capable of both AC and DC bidirectional charging, the ELF can feed energy into your home (Vehicle-to-Home/ V2H), the grid (Vehicle-to-Grid/ V2G), or electric devices (Vehicle-to-Load/ V2L).
Mercedes said a typical vehicle battery with a capacity of 70-100 kWh can power an average single-family home for two to four days.
The new electric CLA and GLC with EQ Technology are the first Mercedes vehicles that offer bidirectional charging capabilities. In 2026, the automaker will launch its first services for bidirectional charging in Germany, France, and the UK. Other markets are set to follow shortly after.
In combination with intelligent energy management, Mercedes said electricity costs can be significantly reduced. Depending on energy use, homeowners can save about 500 euros ($580) per year.
Mercedes-Benz is also using the ELF to test other charging methods, including cable-free induction and automated conductive charging.
The learnings from the ELF will be key to unlocking faster, more convenient, and sustainable charging for upcoming Mercedes-Benz EV models.
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Shares of U.S. rare earth and critical mineral miners surged Thursday after China tightened restrictions on exports, fuelling market speculation that the Trump administration will move more aggressively to invest in building out a domestic supply chain.
Ramaco Resources soared 12%, Energy Fuels surged nearly 8%, USA Rare Earth jumped more than 7%, and MP Materials rallied more than 6%. Lithium Americas popped more than 4% and Trilogy Metals rose more than 6%.
Beijing is now requiring foreign entities to obtain a license to export products that contain more than 0.1% of domestically sourced rare earths, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce. Companies will also need export licenses if they use China’s extraction, refining or magnet recycling technology.
“The White House and relevant agencies are closely assessing any impact from the new rules, which were announced without any notice and imposed in an apparent effort to exert control over the entire world’s technology supply chains,” a White House official told CNBC.
China imposed the restrictions ahead of an expected meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Seoul, South Korea later this month. Rare earths have been a major point of contention in trade talks between Beijing and Washington.
‘Game of chicken’
The White House and the U.S. critical mineral industry have accused China of manipulating the market to drive foreign competition out of business. Rare earths are a subset of critical minerals that are crucial inputs for U.S. weapons platforms, robotics, electric vehicles and electronics among other applications.
The Trump administration has taken equity stakes in MP Materials, Lithium Americas and Trilogy Metals this year as it seeks to stand up a domestic supply chain against China.
USA Rare Earth and Energy Fuels have not struck deals with the White House, but their CEOs told CNBC that they are in close contact with the Trump administration.
“It’s going to take a lot of players to build out this marketplace,” USA Rare Earth CEO Barbara Humpton told CNBC on Oct. 2.
China’s export restrictions “help to ensure a strong position for Xi to sit down with Trump” on the sidlines of the summit in South Korea, Evercore ISI analyst Neo Wang told clients in a Thursday note.
“Although both Beijing and Washington learnt the lesson the hard way in their last exchange of export controls back in [April] and May, China’s stronger pain endurance rooted in its political system adds to the credibility of its threats in a game of chicken,” Wang wrote.
Move over, e-bikes – there’s a new way to get a power boost for cruising around town, and this one straps right to your legs. The Hypershell X Ultra is a high-tech wearable exoskeleton that delivers up to 1,000 watts of electric assist to your stride, giving “powered walking” the same kind of jolt that e-bikes gave to cycling.
The company behind it, Shanghai-based Hypershell, says the X Ultra is its most advanced performance exoskeleton yet, designed for hikers, runners, climbers, and even skiers who want to go farther and faster without wearing out their legs.
The new model uses a 1,000W “M-One Ultra” motor, around 25% more powerful than before, along with upgraded thermal management and improved energy efficiency. To put that in perspective, the US limits street-legal e-bikes to 750 watts of power, while the EU caps them at just 250 watts. That means this wearable device technically delivers more power to your legs than most legal e-bikes deliver to their wheels.
According to Hypershell, the X Ultra can reduce muscle load on the hips by up to 63%, lower heart rate by as much as 42% while cycling, and even cut oxygen consumption by nearly 40%. The system intelligently adapts to your movement using AI-powered gait mapping and offers 12 activity modes, including new ones for running, snow, and sand, that automatically adjust power delivery depending on terrain and intensity.
Despite all the electronics, it’s surprisingly lightweight. The X Ultra uses titanium alloy and carbon fiber construction to keep the system at just 1.8 kg (4 lb), plus a 410 g (0.9 lb) battery pack. That 72Wh battery claims to deliver up to 65 km (40 miles) of assist when cycling or 30 km (18 miles) when walking, and the system can even regenerate energy on downhills for up to 10% extra range.
With a top speed of 25 km/h (15.5 mph), the $1,999 X Ultra is pricey, but could early adopters help it still kick off a new category of electric mobility where people are the vehicle? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments section below.
via: Newatlas
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