Tesla Roadster’s new patent preps white-knuckle speeds, keeping it grounded

teslarati.com Sep 29, 2026

Tesla Roadster’s new patent preps white-knuckle speeds, keeping it grounded

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Sep 29, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Tesla has secured a patent titled “Electric Car Fan” for its upcoming Roadster, a design that uses four driven ducted fans mounted in the rear diffuser to generate downforce independent of vehicle speed. The fans draw air from an under‑body inlet and expel it through a rear outlet, allowing the car to increase grip at low speeds and during hard braking without adding drag at highway velocities. The patent, granted on September 29, arrives two weeks before the delayed outdoor unveiling, which must comply with FAA‑restricted rules. Tesla claims the system can modulate fan output from the battery, improving acceleration, cornering and stopping distances while avoiding aerodynamic penalties of wings. The filing notes similar fan concepts were previously banned in motorsport.

💡 Why It Matters

· By creating active downforce that works at any speed, Tesla could redefine performance limits for electric sports cars, giving the Roadster a tangible edge over rivals that rely on passive aerodynamics.

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Tesla delays Roadster 2 event again due to bad weather

Tesla postponed the outdoor unveiling of its redesigned second‑generation Roadster to October 15, 2024, citing severe weather forecasts that could jeopardize the event in Waco, Texas. The delay follows multiple earlier reschedulings, including a planned April Fools’ Day show. The Roadster, which incorporates SpaceX cold‑gas thrusters for limited flight capability, has long been a high‑profile project with a $200,000 base price and a limited “Founders Series.” Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, has repeatedly promised a launch but remains uncertain on production timelines.

💡 The repeated postponements underscore the challenges of integrating aerospace technology into consumer vehicles, raising questions about Tesla’s delivery reliability and the feasibility of its ambitious supercar vision.

cleantechnica.com · Sep 29

VLA 2.0 vs. FSD in Amsterdam — Part 2: Tesla Model 3

In Amsterdam, a journalist compared Tesla’s Full Self‑Driving (FSD) system on a customer‑owned Model 3 Highland with XPeng’s VLA 2.0 on an L03, driving the same loop twice under identical traffic conditions. The Model 3, built in Shanghai for the European market and equipped with the latest HW4 hardware, displayed a “react‑then‑correct” behavior: it braked abruptly for distant cyclists, hesitated at yellow lights, stopped in bike lanes and tram tracks, and occasionally chose the wrong lane or made improper turns. These cautious maneuvers often caused honks from other road users and brief traffic disruptions. Steering inputs were described as spurt‑like, with frequent corrections, and the vehicle’s tires slipped on wet bricks during rapid adjustments. The test highlighted FSD’s still‑evolving handling of dense, multimodal urban traffic.

💡 The on‑road glitches reveal how Tesla’s caution‑driven algorithm can create safety trade‑offs in crowded European streets, underscoring the need for more refined perception and decision‑making before broader rollout.

techtimes.com · Sep 29

Tesla Optimus Production Hit Two Walls: Robot Hands It Cannot Build, Workers…

Tesla’s attempt to mass‑produce its humanoid robot, Optimus, has stalled on two fronts. Workers at Fremont and Austin declined to wear motion‑capture suits for training data, fearing eventual replacement, prompting Tesla to relocate data collection to dedicated hubs. Simultaneously, the V3 hand—responsible for 60% of engineering difficulty—requires sub‑millimeter tolerances that standard automotive assembly equipment cannot meet, leading to frequent rework and unreliable touch sensors. The company’s modular sensor fix does not resolve the core assembly inconsistency, highlighting a gap between automotive and robotics manufacturing.

💡 The hand’s precision bottleneck exposes the limits of existing production lines for advanced robotics, while worker resistance underscores growing labor concerns over automation.

teslarati.com · Sep 29

Watch Tesla’s “guardian angel” FSD feature take over for collision evasion

Tesla’s Automatic Collision Evasion (ACE) feature, part of Full Self‑Driving (FSD) software, was demonstrated in a user‑posted video that showed the system re‑engaging FSD just before the driver’s vehicle struck a curb. The clip, shared by Tesla AI lead Ashok Elluswamy, illustrates ACE’s two trigger conditions: an imminent frontal crash on highways under 85 mph and a driver‑inattention scenario, such as reaching into the back seat. ACE is available only on HW4 hardware with an active FSD purchase or subscription and requires Automatic Emergency Braking to be enabled. The feature debuted in software update 2026.27.6 (FSD v14.3.9) and received refinements in subsequent builds 2026.27.10 and 2026.27.11. Tesla plans further safety upgrades in the upcoming FSD v15.

💡 ACE shows Tesla’s push to shift active safety from passive braking to autonomous steering, a step that could redefine driver responsibility in real‑time hazard avoidance.

teslarati.com · Sep 28

Tesla Cybercab fleet doubles to well over 100 units

Tesla quietly doubled its Cybercab Robotaxi fleet in Austin, Texas, from 58 to 125 units over a weekend, marking the largest expansion of the company’s autonomous ride‑sharing service. The fleet, launched in early September, operates without steering wheels or pedals and relies entirely on Tesla’s Full Self‑Driving software. The increase follows high demand and long wait times, and Tesla plans to roll out Cybercabs to additional U.S. cities in the coming months, signaling confidence in its autonomous technology.

💡 The fleet surge demonstrates Tesla’s growing operational readiness for driverless rides, positioning the company to capture a larger share of the emerging autonomous mobility market.

electrive.com · Sep 28

EU vote on Tesla FSD not expected before December

The EU’s Technical Committee on Motor Vehicles (TCMV) will not vote on Tesla’s Full Self‑Driving (Supervised) system until December, delaying the system’s full EU‑wide approval. The committee’s October meeting will only continue discussions on the Dutch provisional approval under Article 39 of Regulation 2018/858, with no vote scheduled. Seven EU member states—including the Netherlands, Czech Republic, and others—have already granted national provisional approvals, but a unified EU type approval remains pending. Tesla’s FSD (Supervised) is therefore stalled until the committee reconvenes in December.

💡 The delay postpones the widespread deployment of Tesla’s advanced driver‑assist technology across the EU, affecting consumer access and regulatory precedent for emerging automotive systems.