Tesla AI Day Is Coming

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Tesla is constantly in the news, whether by design or not. The most recent news is that Tesla is planning an artificial intelligence (AI) day sometime in the near future. This news comes as Tesla has also opened the longest Supercharger route in the world, stretching across China. So when exactly – and what exactly – is Tesla AI Day?

Tesla Autopilot | Tesla

What is Tesla AI Day?

A red Tesla Model 3 drives down the highway.
Tesla Model 3 | Tesla

Tesla AI Day was announced the way so much of Tesla’s news is; via Tweet. Reuters notes that Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk tweeted that he’s considering holding an AI Day in “about a month or so.” A Tesla AI Day would serve two purposes. It would show some of the latest things that Tesla is doing with its artificial intelligence, and it would give Tesla the opportunity to recruit new talent. 

Elon Musk tweeted, “Looking at holding Tesla AI Day in about a month or so. Will go over progress with Tesla AI software & hardware, both training & inference. Purpose is recruiting.” 

Why would Tesla want to host an AI Day?

Tesla is at the forefront of using artificial intelligence in its cars, so it’s no surprise that they’d want to recruit new talent. Musk is constantly looking for people interested in the field of artificial intelligence to join the Tesla ranks. He tweeted, “In general, anyone interested in working on physical-word AI problems, should consider joining Tesla. Fastest path to deploying your ideas in real life.”

In addition to the news about the 3,100 mile long Supercharger route in China, Tesla also recently revealed their newest supercomputer. This supercomputer is currently the fifth most powerful computer in the world – and Tesla isn’t done yet. They’re working on the Dojo project, which will be responsible for much of Tesla’s future capabilities, and will be capable of one exaFLOP (which is hugely important in the world of computers). 

Would Tesla AI Day have to do with autonomous vehicles?

Tesla is eager to make their dreams of a fully autonomous vehicle possible. Currently Tesla has Tesla Autopilot, which despite its name, is not fully autonomous. Instead, a Tesla operator has to stay behind the wheel – and keep their hands on the wheel. 

The Tesla Autopilot function has not been without its issues. Either the misconception of Tesla Autopilot’s independence, or Tesla owners’ willful ignorance of the rules, has led to some shocking stories and tragic accidents. Tesla is currently under review in California to determine if it has been falsely claiming to be fully autonomous now.

Tesla hopes to roll out Full Self Driving (FSD), which would be a truly autonomous vehicle. In January of 2021, Musk said that he was “highly confident the car will be able to drive itself with reliability in excess of human this year.” Then in May, Tesla reversed and said that they may not be able to get FSD up and running by the end of 2021.

If Tesla does hold an AI Day, it wouldn’t be their first themed day. Previous days dedicated to Tesla ideas include Tesla Autonomy Day and Tesla Battery Day. 

Tesla has a huge fanbase, and there are sure to be a lot of people eager for a Tesla AI Day. It will be interesting to see what kind of technology is revealed, and what direction the company takes from here.

RELATED: Tesla Cybertruck Patent Is Straight Out of Science Fiction

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Jeep Posts Extremely Cryptic Teaser That Might Point to New Jeep Wrangler Fun

by Gabrielle DeSantis

New car teasers are always a good time. Usually, we get a glimpse of the grill or silhouette of the entire vehicle. However, Jeep just put out a teaser for what appears to be related to the Jeep Wrangler. Unlike most other SUV teasers, this one is so cryptic that people don’t really know what to do with it. 

Mysterious Jeep sign | Jeep

The new Jeep Wrangler teaser might be too mysterious 

According to Autoblog, Jeep posted a strange photo to their Twitter that was just a Brown National Park-style sign that had a primitive-looking Jeep Wrangler image. Underneath the Wrangler is a white arrow pointing up and the number 40.4. 

The only thing Jeep wrote on the post was “A sign of things to come.” First of all, this is awesome. If this is a real sign (which it looks to be), this is truly the Jeepiest teaser ever. Second of all, while it may be cool, most people don’t exactly know what to make of the cryptic teaser. 

Jeep has given no context to the sign whatsoever. We don’t know if this number is a distance, dimensions, or something else entirely. 

Are we going to get any more information from Jeep? 

Teasers tend to come in multiples. This discrete sign is probably only the first in a series of teasers meant to get Jeep Wrangler fans fired up and paying attention to whatever Jeep has in store. 

At this point, it’s tough to know what else Jeep could be releasing. Jeep has announced more new models in the past two years than in the previous 20 years. 

Jeep is on fire 

Jeep Wrangler has had its first real competition in years with the Ford Bronco. Jeep has had to really step up and make some changes. The Jeep Gladiator kicked off this new batch of 4x4s a few years back. Basically, Jeep took the idea of the old CJ-8 Scramblers and applied that concept to the modern Wrangler. The Gladiator is basically a stretched Jeep Wrangler four-door with a truck bed. 

Jeep didn’t stop with just bringing back a tweaked version of an older model. Jeep also announced the Jeep Wrangler 4xe. This hybrid Jeep Wrangler is something that has been desperately needed from the marque for some time. Given the shape of the Wrangler and the strong but outdated engine, the hybrid is God-send to any 4×4 enthusiast’s wallet. 

If those two weren’t enough new models for Jeep, it also dropped the 392 Hemi V8 model and the all-electric Jeep Wrangler Magneto concept. These two Jeeps represent a new chapter for the Jeep Wrangler. 

This is a model that has been painfully slow to change, and then all of a sudden, all of these new configurations and new engines drop all at once. Hell, there is even a diesel option now. Only a free years ago, no one was waiting for Jeep to do anything new because that’s not really what Jeep Wranglers are really about. That is no longer the case. 

So, what do we do with this Jeep Wrangler sign? 

It seems like Jeep will have to elaborate on the sign sometime soon. Although it may be frustrating or confusing to some, I would argue that Jeep has successfully made people cock their heads in anticipation for this cryptic Jeep Wrangler teaser could be alluding to. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. 

RELATED: Jeep Fights Back: Adds Many More Features To Take On Bronco

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Consumer Reports: Kia Telluride Slams the Toyota Highlander

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Consumer Reports has done a lot of research on the Kia Telluride and Toyota Highlander over the years. The Highlander has been a driver and critic favorite for more than a decade. The Telluride is a newcomer that has taken the industry by surprise. Consumer Reports praised both SUVs for a variety of reasons but ultimately found faults on both sides.

Is the Kia Telluride bigger than the Toyota Highlander?

Consumer Reports put the Kia Telluride against the Toyota Highlander | Kia

Consumer Reports noted that when Kia went for the Telluride, there was a lot of thought put into the details of the SUV. It is reliable and has pleased owners in the first few years of ownership. The V6 engine gives the Telluride enough power to pull out into traffic, but it also gets an OK 21 mpg combined.

CR found that the Kia Telluride performed well in the dry and wet-braking tests. It maneuvered with ease during the road tests, and the stability control helped the vehicle stay in control. The predicted reliability and predicted owner satisfaction both came in at five out of five. In the road test, the SUV scored a 97 out of 100.

The Telluride has automatic emergency braking (AEB) but not at highway speeds, which seems like an oversight. It has Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Lane Keeping Assist (LKA). CR found that the beeps and noises that came with the systems were a bit overwhelming. Kia offers a 10-year and 100,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. In addition to that, there is also a 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Consumer Reports: Kia Telluride vs. Toyota Highlander

Consumer Reports found that the Highlander has a more evolved style since it has been around for a while. This means the brand has been able to consider flaws and make features better. It feels familiar, but with all the safety features drivers might want from the newest vehicles on the market.

The V6 engine and eight-speed automatic transmission get 22 mpg overall. In addition to that, the Highlander Hybrid gets about 35 mpg overall. “We like how well the Highlander absorbs and softens the impact from rough road surfaces, and the overall ride quality is compliant and controlled. It’s on a par with the Telluride,” Consumer Reports said.

The Highlander has Toyota Safety Sense systems, including forward collision warning (FCW), blind-spot warning (BSW), AEB, and LKA. Toyota offers free maintenance for the first two years or the first 25,000 miles.

Battle of the midsize SUVs

CR says that if fuel economy is the biggest deal-breaker, the Toyota Highlander or Highlander Hybrid is the right choice. Drivers after often loyal to the Toyota brand, which might make the case to stay with the Highlander. The bottom line is that the Highlander is family-friendly, value-holding, albeit a little boring. Not everyone wants an exciting car, though.

If you are willing to take the leap of faith, the Kia Telluride is going to reward you. It has exceeded the Highlander in the first round of Consumer Report’s reliability surveys. It is smoother on the road and has a more luxurious feel inside the cabin. Kia has been fairly innovative thus far, and the 2022 model looks like another improvement.

Don’t underestimate the mid-size SUV segment in the next few years. If these reliability scores are anything to go by, sport utility vehicles are here to stay.

RELATED: Consumer Reports: 5 Best Cars of 2021 Under $35K

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The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Gets Terrible Gas Mileage

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The Jeep Grand Wagoneer is making a “grand” comeback in 2022. The planetary three-row SUV gets a depressingly low EPA fuel economy estimate, to the surprise of literally no one. The big boy of the American brand’s lineup needs a lot of heft to get around, which severely affects its gas consumption. It’s time now to look at the tradeoffs for such a poor fuel economy and if it’s worth it for the experience it will provide.

You’ll get something in return for the terrible fuel economy

2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer | Jeep

So, about that number. It’s low. Much lower than you might think. We’re in Lamborghini-on-a-track territory here. The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer will manage a measly 15 MPG combined, according to Car and Driver and the EPA. Frankly, this is to be expected given the big SUV’s powertrain. The retro-inspired ride will be powered by a hefty 6.4-liter V8.

This, of course, will mean the gargantuan American SUV will have quite the horsepower figure. And it does, making 471 hp and 455 lb-ft of torque. So, at least speed is a tradeoff for poor fuel economy, as it so often is. However, this number is apparently Jeep’s best effort, at least for this spec. The Wagoneer has some tech helping it achieve that MPG number, like cylinder deactivation, which turns off half the motor to save fuel as needed.

Putting the “grand” in Jeep Grand Wagoneer

A classic, wood-paneled Jeep Grand Wagoneer
You may recognize the owner of this Wagoneer | Peter Kramer via Getty Images

Now it’s time to talk about what else you get for your roughly $89,000 bill at the dealership. The Grand Wagoneer has long been a harbinger of luxury over fuel economy. Classic models like the one above only managed 11 MPG combined back in 1989, per the Department of Energy. The new model is no different, as we’ve seen.

The 2022 Wagoneer will put luxury and presence above all else. As it should, for the price point it’s at. The Wagoneer faces some stiff competition in this segment, such as Porsche’s Cayenne SUV. There is, however, something to be said for the looks of the new Jeep model. It’s a perfect blend of retro nods and modern design if you can ignore its poorly proportioned rear windows.

Is the Jeep Grand Wagoneer’s poor MPG worth it?

The interior of the new-for-2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer | Jeep

Based on the images Jeep provided, it looks like the interior of the Grand Wagoneer will be no different. Parent company Fiat/Chrysler is certainly on a roll with the interiors lately and the Wagoneer looks no different. The lovely stitched seats and plentiful tech, including a second screen for the passenger, looks promising.

So, that’s the trade-off for such horrid fuel economy. No matter how good the 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer is, it must still contend with that EPA number. Whether or not it will be worth it is up to you, the consumer, who must weigh the cost of gas versus the potential experience the Wagoneer will offer.

RELATED: Freedom Jeeps for All: Jeep Adds Freedom Trim to Entire Lineup

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