Cybertruck and other Tesla references on The Simpsons throughout the years

By Kevin Armstrong
Tesla's Cybertruck is featured in The Simpsons
Tesla's Cybertruck is featured in The Simpsons
Fox

The Simpsons, one of the longest-running TV shows of all time, have had some epic cars in Springfield; now Tesla is on that elite list. The Cybertruck and Model X appeared in this past weekend's Simpson's Halloween special. The Teslas now join the Canyonero, which smells like a steak and seats 35, the Canyonero Hybrid, which gets 11 miles to the gallon, and The Homer, a car designed by Homer Simpson, as classic Simpson rides.

Treehouse of Horror XXXIII has the animated family in a version of Westworld where the amusement park staff use a Cybertruck to take the malfunctioning robots to a repair facility. Monorail Homer gets stuck in a catchphrase loop, and the humanoid robot is shut down by flicking a switch in his nose. He is then tossed into the back of a Cybertruck.

Tesla's Cybertruck is featured in The Simpsons
Tesla's Cybertruck is featured in The Simpsons
Fox

Interesting placement of the killswitch; Elon Musk did say that Optimus, Tesla's humanoid robot, would have a switch to shut down the unit. So it could be up Optimus' nose.

Tesla's time in Springfield continues in the next episode, Not It. The show has a hilarious take on Stephen King's IT, and appearing on screen for just a few seconds is a white Model X. The vehicle belongs to Comic Book Guy, who is married to Marge. It may be the second time the Model X has appeared in the Simpsons. In episode 716, released in December of 2021, Fit-Fat Tony becomes Maggie's Godfather and leases the Simpsons a "Luxus" SUV. Bart is later seen playing with the Falcon Doors.

The Model X opens its falcon doors and hits Bart Simpson
The Model X opens its falcon doors and hits Bart Simpson
Fox

The Tesla Roadster has also appeared in the Simpsons. In the fifth episode of season 32, a red Roadster is parked in front of Leonardo DiCaprio's mansion. Although there was a glaring error, the car was plugged in on the right side. The Model S has been in the show as well. Mr. Burns has a Model S that he charges at Richard Branson's house to avoid paying for electricity. Krusty the Clown also has a Model S. He uses Autopilot to hang out the window and attack Homer.

Mr. Burns charging his Model S
Mr. Burns charging his Model S
Fox

Who can forget the episode The Musk Who Fell to Earth? Tesla's CEO voiced himself during the episode in season 26 where he lands in Homer's backyard, and the two become fast friends. Bart and Lisa go for a joyride in Elon's car, using the password MUSKRULEZ to disable FSD. However, the show takes a turn when Mr. Burns plans to kill Musk.

The Simpsons is notorious for predicting the future, so now that Cybertruck has been spotted on the streets in Springfield, it has to be coming to the real world soon.

Psychiatrist decked out in Tesla merchandise
Psychiatrist decked out in Tesla merchandise
Fox

Kent Brockman, the news reporter on The Simpsons uses Tesla's Summon feature to call his Tesla.

Kent Brockman summons his Tesla
Kent Brockman summons his Tesla
Fox

Tesla Expected to Offer FSD Transfers in Europe

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

It has been a long wait for FSD for European customers, many of whom paid for the feature years ago on now legacy hardware. While the FSD transfer program has come and gone multiple times, there’s something to be said about having it available in North America, where it can be used, and in Europe or other countries, where it still just remains the same as Enhanced Autopilot (differences between Autopilot, EAP, and FSD).

FSD Transfer is a nice goodwill gesture from Tesla that in theory doesn’t cost them anything. Instead, it keeps customers, especially those who have been waiting for years, loyal and happy. It also incentivizes them to upgrade to a newer Tesla with HW4, where FSD will hopefully be achieved.

In a reply to a post on X, Elon agreed with the suggestion that offering FSD transfers in Europe would be a fair solution for those who have already purchased FSD but can’t use its capabilities.

A Fair Solution

FSD Transfer directly addresses a growing concern for many long-term European Tesla owners. Thousands of customers purchased the full package, often many years ago, with the expectation that FSD would eventually be capable and approved for use. However, the reality is that FSD, even as an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), continues to be pushed back in Europe.

As the regulatory process continues at a snail's pace, many of these early supporters are now reaching or have already passed the point where they’re ready to upgrade to a new Tesla.

Without the transfer program, it's a difficult choice: either throw away your original investment in FSD and pay for the package a second time (FSD price history), or subscribe to it in the future.

Offering FSD transfers is a good way for Tesla to meet them halfway. It's a difficult situation, and one that’s being hindered by processes beyond the control of both the customer and Tesla. However, a transfer helps both parties. Tesla sells another vehicle, and the customer gets to keep FSD.

When Will it Be Available?

Based on how FSD transfers have worked in the past following Elon’s announcements, this feature is likely to become available for a limited time period in the coming days or weeks. If it happens, we should expect an announcement from Tesla Europe on X and emails being sent out to Tesla customers.

Once the program is in place, all you need to do is complete your vehicle purchase and then inform your Tesla sales advisor that you’d like to transfer FSD. You don’t even have to sell or trade in your old Tesla; FSD will simply be removed from it as a feature.

Hopefully, Tesla enables FSD Transfers for everyone, regardless of region. It should be an ongoing offer until at least FSD is approved in the given country or region.

Tesla Increases Robotaxi Fare Fee, Up from $4.20

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

The introductory price for Tesla’s Robotaxi Network has finally been updated. In a post on X, Elon Musk confirmed that the new fare would be rolling out to complement the new Robotaxi geofence expansion.

This change marks the first adjustment to Tesla’s fares since the initial $4.20 launch price 23 days ago. While the price increase may seem significant in terms of percentages, when compared to other options in the ride-hailing area, it is still drastically cheaper.

Context Matters

Robotaxi currently operates on a simple, flat-rate model. The new $6.90 fare gets you a ride to anywhere within the recently expanded geofence.

So far, this is the opposite approach compared to other services, such as Waymo or traditional ride-sharing options like Uber and Lyft. All these services use dynamic pricing based on distance, time of day, and demand. A comparable trip on any one of these services could cost anywhere from $30 to $65, and potentially even higher during peak hours.

That doesn’t even include the tip fees for human drivers either - another win for Robotaxi (can you tip a Robotaxi?).

Even with the adjustment, the flat $6.90 fare remains less than half the price of a typical competing ride, making Robotaxi the most affordable point-to-point transportation option in Austin, aside from mass transit, for now.

A “Maturing” Service

The price change, moving from one meme-worthy number to another, is a sign that Robotaxi is finally graduating from its initial pilot phase. Following the first major expansion of the service area, this adjustment is a logical next step towards finding a more sustainable flat price.

While the new fare is a 65% increase over the old fare, the key takeaway is that it is still far cheaper than other options, and still just as meme-worthy. Tesla is aiming to have its early access riders complete as many rides as possible during these early months, and this pricing is still very reflective of that.

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