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Getting ready for the Tesla D tonight means reading some tea leaves

Today is D-day. We will know all of the details about the Tesla D and the mysterious "one other thing" – well, all the details that Tesla is willing to give – later tonight, but for now we're going to try and piece the story together based on whatever rumors and hints we can find. We've already speculated that the D stands for an all-wheel drive version of the Model S, which is an update that CEO Elon Musk has long talked about. But what else could be announced tonight, since the 'one other thing' apparently won't be the reveal of the production Model X? Could it be the first prototype of the Model 3? That's one rumor. Vanity Fair got to ask Musk directly, since the magazine invited him to its New Establishment Summit. While Musk didn't exactly spill the beans, he did give us a little something to chew on. "One of the things is already there, and people just don't realize it," he said (see video below). When pressed for more details, all Musk said was: "The Internet is very good at guessing these things. [They're] directionally connect, but the magnitude is not appreciated yet." Could he be talking about better driver assistance features? Some sources say that's exactly what he's hinting at, with the D standing for Driver or something else that means autopilot. There's also an unconfirmed report out there that the AWD Model S, which might be called the P85D, will be noticeably quicker – with a 0-60 time of under three seconds, compared to 4.2 for the current quickest model – but this sort of thing has been suggested and then denied before. So, any other guesses? This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Maserati's first electric car won't be a Tesla rival

Italian supercar makers haven't exactly embraced electric vehicles with gusto (the LaFerrari hybrid is about as close as you get), but that should change in the next few years. Ferrari's sibling brand Maserati tells Car and Driver that it's working on an electric vehicle that would be shown before 2020. And unlike other luxury car brands, Maserati doesn't plan on eating Tesla's lunch. It has to produce something "very different" to stand out, the company's Roberto Fedeli says. Think of something more like the GranTurismo coupe (see above) than yet another upscale sedan. Part of the challenge, Fedeli claims, is making a green machine that's exciting to drive. Breakneck acceleration is the only really thrilling aspect of EVs right now, he says – the sheer weight of those lithium-ion batteries dampens the enjoyment on twisty roads. A Maserati would have to be lighter on its feet. Also, the automaker will have to find a way to give its car character without a roaring gas engine under the hood. In that sense, Maserati's 2020 goal is realistic. It may not have much choice but to wait for battery technology to catch up to its ambitions. Related Video: This article by Jon Fingas originally ran on Engadget, the definitive guide to this connected life. News Source: Car and Driver Green Maserati Tesla Coupe Electric Luxury Performance

Tesla autopilot could offer 90 percent autonomous driving next year

Those Tesla Model S electric vehicles look good, but anyone worried about computers taking over our roads may want to steer clear of them starting next year. That's because 2015 may be when such vehicles will have autonomous-driving capabilities, according to an interview Tesla Chief Elon Musk conducted with CNN Money. Never one to shy away from bold statements, Musk says his vehicles will be "90-percent capable of autopilot" by next year. The combination of the cars' cameras, sensors and other tools that have made Silicon Valley the tech capital of the US will allow the vehicles to fully function most of the time without the aid of us silly humans. Tesla may also announce a feature that will keep the vehicle in its proper lane later this week, Bloomberg News says, citing a person familiar with the process. Whether most of us would rather actually refrain from driving a Model S than being fully engaged is another question altogether. The company's declining to comment beyond what was said in the CNN Money interview. Of course, automakers have been talking about autonomous driving for years, though the prevailing wisdom is that the technology won't be readily available until at least the end of the decade. Still, companies are making strides. Last month, Germany's Audi became the first automaker to receive one of California's autonomous-driving permits. Meanwhile, not too far from Tesla's headquarters, Google has been testing out its own autonomous-driving vehicle, though that one's of the hands-free, no-steering wheel, no-pedals variety.