2016 Tesla Model X on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Tesla hires Hacker Princess Kristin Paget away from Apple

Might it be that one of Apple Computer's software-security gurus wasn't quite, ahem, secure enough to resist the pull of Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk? Kristin Paget, who held the illustrious title of "Hacker Princess" at Cupertino, CA-based Apple, starts working for nearby Tesla this week, Re/code says. Paget would only say on her Twitter feed that the gig was "something security-related" and added that she "shouldn't say too much." Paget would only say that the gig was "something security-related." Paget joined Apple in 2012 after spending time with Microsoft, where she was responsible for security in the Vista operating system. Paget was also known within the Silicon Valley cognoscenti for her instructions on how to build a fake cell tower that could intercept cellphone calls. Tesla's headquarters in Fremont are just 25 miles from Apple's, but the poaching is far more than merely geographic. Tesla has always been big on technological advancements and has been steadily making over-the-air software upgrades to the Model S. Most recently, Musk and Tesla Chief Technology Officer Straubel toured Western Europe, talkind to Tesla owners and followers. They said the company was on the cusp of releasing Version 6.0 of the Model S software, which includes more suspension control as well as real-time traffic data. We wonder what features Paget will bring to Version 7. Featured Gallery Tesla Model S: Quick Spin View 33 Photos News Source: Re/code via Pulse2Image Credit: Copyright 2014 AOL Green Tesla Electric microsoft security software

Is Land Rover developing an all-electric Tesla Model X rival?

Tesla will soon put its all-electric Model X crossover on sale, and if it's anywhere near as successful as the brand's four-door sedan the Model S, then it'll be a hell of an attention getter for mainstream automakers. Land Rover isn't waiting for proof of the Model X's success, though. According to reports, Land Rover could be preparing an all-electric Range Rover. Likely more crossover than full-size SUV, the new vehicle would probably be far more aerodynamic than current models. But the new EV would still take advantage of LR's high-tech aluminum structure, and could potentially be a close relative of the production Jaguar C-X17, according to Autocar. It seems unlikely that this new Land Rover EV will have the off-road chops of the brand's other models, but that doesn't mean that will be useless on the rough stuff. AC, citing Land Rover design boss Gerry McGovern, claims that a height-adjustable air suspension will allow a low, aerodynamic ride height for high-speed travel while it can easily be transitioned to a higher level for off-road duty. As for range, AC believes (and we agree) that a successful effort would need to get as close as possible to the Model S' 265-mile EV range. Autocar is anticipating a price of around 90,000 pounds, equivalent to $144,000, which roughly matches the cost of a UK-market Model S. If the Range Rover EV comes stateside, we'd wager that prices will start under six figures, much like the US-market Tesla.

Tesla working on snake-like auto charger

When people complain about electric cars, the gripes usually focus on range anxiety and the hassle of waiting for a charge to complete. The physical act of plugging the vehicle into the charger is seldom that big of a concern. However, for the contingent of customers who find hooking up their model to be torturous, Tesla CEO Elon Musk appears to have a rather bizarre (but potentially cool) solution on the way. In back-to-back tweets (embedded below), Musk announced his company is hard at work on a new charger that would automatically emerge from the wall of your garage and hook up to a Model S to begin charging. To make the tech just the teeniest bit more impressive, he claims the bot works with all versions of the company's electric car ͖ not just new ones. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Musk broached the idea of automatically plugging a Model S into the charger during the Tesla D unveiling and said, "we will probably do something like that." He didn't explain much more at the time, though. There still aren't many hard details on the scheme, but the idea of having a robotic snake living in the garage is both somewhat nightmarish and amazingly cool. We can't wait to see this thing in action. News Source: Twitter [1], [2]Image Credit: Tesla Green Tesla Green Automakers Ownership Technology Electric Sedan EV charging