Google's next trial, Tesla's AI future, and X's ad dollar bleed: Tech news roundup

Almost two years after CEO Elon Musk acknowledged that Tesla’s (TSLA) Smart Summon function wasn’t performing as well as hoped, the automaker has unveiled a new — and seemingly upgraded — version.

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The Arizona-made Lucid (LCID) Air is perhaps the king of modern electric car luxury. It’s got its own aerodynamic design aesthetic, efficient layout, tons of power, but the new 2025 Grand Touring model is also the king of EPA-rated EV range, supposedly delivering more miles per charge than any other EV on the market. And it might surprise you to learn that Lucid actually under-sold its range ratings, as YouTube tester Kyle Conner recently found out with an all-highway real-world range test.

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If you’re the proud owner of a Tesla (TSLA), you might think the biggest thing you have to worry about with your car is either the battery going flat, body panels falling off or, god forbid, water sparking a fire onboard. Now, it turns out there’s a new concern for America’s Tesla owners: cops towing their cars as evidence in crime scenes.

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A team of scientists at ETH Zurich say they’ve developed a new type of electrode that rivals those used by other groups working on “brain pacemakers” and related tech, including Elon Musk’s Neuralink.

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More than a quarter of global marketers plan to spend less money taking out ads on Elon Musk’s X next year, as trust in the social media platform continues to crater.

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Tesla’s artificial intelligence team on Thursday released its roadmap for the next several months, reaffirming its goal to launch the company’s self-driving technology in two new markets early next year.

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As a big Arctic and Antarctic exploration nerd, I can tell you with confidence that it’s hard. A few guys on Twitter are making the trip to the Arctic circle purposefully more difficult by trying to complete the trip in Tesla (TSLA) Cybertrucks and, honestly, they kinda rock for the attempt.

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For months now, Elon Musk has been locked in a feud with one of Brazil’s Supreme Court justices.

Over the past week, things have come to a head, with Brazil formally banning access to X, formerly known as Twitter, and Starlink’s financial assets being frozen. Brazilian social media goers are turning to virtual private networks(VPNs) to continue posting memes on X, others are posting furiously over the decision, and Musk has launched a new account dedicated “shining a light on the abuses of Brazilian law” allegedly committed by Justice Alexandre de Moraes.

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Google’s (GOOGL) second major antitrust trial this year, this time focusing on its dominance in the advertising market, is set to start next Monday. But Wedbush analysts aren’t too concerned with the business impacts of the case. - Rocio Fabbro Read More

Toyota (TM) has already proven that its decision to focus on hybrid vehicles over fully-electric models is paying off. The company’s sales are booming as hybrid options like the Prius and Rav4 fly off forecourts and now, it’s knuckling down on that commitment to hybrid power by slashing its already low targets for electric vehicle sales. - Owen Bellwood / Jalopnik Read More