#356: Abandoned by FSD: Tesla’s Pivot, Waymo’s Crash, and the New Autonomy Narrative War
Fri Feb 06 2026
Alex recounts his latest cross-country Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD) attempt and explains why “zero-disengagement” claims often hide major differences in what counts as an intervention—plus an unforgettable moment where the car nearly strands a co-driver at a sub-zero truck stop. Kirsten, Ed & Alex then dig into Tesla’s decision to end Model S and Model X production, the company’s escalating bet on Optimus humanoid robots, and growing signals of deeper alignment with xAI (and even potential mega-merger vibes with SpaceX). Plus the latest Waymo controversy after a robotaxi struck a child in Santa Monica, the investigations and media narrative battle, and what these incidents mean for public trust in autonomous vehicles.
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Alex recounts his latest cross-country Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD) attempt and explains why “zero-disengagement” claims often hide major differences in what counts as an intervention—plus an unforgettable moment where the car nearly strands a co-driver at a sub-zero truck stop. Kirsten, Ed & Alex then dig into Tesla’s decision to end Model S and Model X production, the company’s escalating bet on Optimus humanoid robots, and growing signals of deeper alignment with xAI (and even potential mega-merger vibes with SpaceX). Plus the latest Waymo controversy after a robotaxi struck a child in Santa Monica, the investigations and media narrative battle, and what these incidents mean for public trust in autonomous vehicles.