Tesla and Hurricane Irma

Tesla vehicles could be purchased in variations of battery capacity. However, the way Tesla approached this was very unique, to say the least. A 60 and 70 kWh battery variation actually came with a 75 kWh battery. However, based on the model purchased, the Tesla would stop functioning before the battery was fully depleted. The owner could "upgrade" their battery by paying an additional fee, which lets them use the fully battery. So when Hurricane Irma caused people to flee, one Tesla owner needed an extra 30 miles [Source: Electrek]. Tesla responded by allowing these Teslas to use their full battery until September 16. How crazy is that? Of course, Tesla did good on their part by giving those who needed the extra milage exactly what they needed. But it just blows my mind how a company was able to essentially give all of its customers more battery. It should be noted that the 60 and 70 kWh models have been discontinued, since most owners prefer the higher capacity.

Tesla Rebrands 'Autopilot' Term in China

Ensuring that whatever you make is properly localized is key to getting as many people to like your product and to keep good press. Good examples of good localization include the Animal Crossing series, taking creative liberties to ensure that American audiences weren't confused with Japanese traditions by replacing them with American references and holidays in the American version. And of course, the worst example of good localization is the Chevrolet Nova, which translates to "doesn't go" in Spanish, which is bad considering this is a car. After a non-fatal crash caused by Tesla's autopilot in China, the Chinese website no longer uses the term "zidong jiashi," which can be interpreted as "self-driving" [Source: Reuters]. Not exactly what you want when it comes to press reception. The term was replaced with a similar term that means "self-assisted driving." Whether or not this discourages people from using the feature, time will tell, for those who fail to learn from history, are doomed to repeat it.

Tesla Model X Saves A Man's Life With Autopilot

Although many have been somewhat worried about Tesla's autopilot lately, here's a bit of news that is a perfect example of the many benefits of self-driving cars [Source: TechCrunch]. Joshua Neally was coming home from work when a pulmonary embolism suddenly struck him. In a bold move, Neally had his Tesla Model X drive him about 20 miles to an off-ramp close to a hospital. By the off-ramp, he was able to drive to the nearby hospital. He made it to the hospital and recovered. Many question whether he made the right choice to let his car drive him instead of calling an ambulance. Either way, we can all agree he made a better decision than the guy who was stabbed while playing Pokémon Go, and then proceeded to continue playing the game.