Gadget Lab: Weekly Tech News from WIRED
Technology
Hey, remember the Cybertruck? Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled the company’s futuristic electric vehicle way back in 2019. At the launch event, Tesla tried to show off the Cybertruck's "unbreakable windows" by hurling a metal ball at them. It promptly shattered the glass. Twice. It was an inelegant debut, but Tesla still seemed eager to develop the EV.
Turns out, the Cybertruck had a few other design flaws as well. Leaked Tesla documents from January of 2022 have revealed an array of problems with the handling, braking, suspension, and chassis of the Cybertruck’s prototype. Most of the Cybertruck’s physical problems appear fixable, but auto industry experts are shocked that Tesla was still encountering so many issues at such a late point in the vehicle’s development.
This week on Gadget Lab, we're joined by WIRED staff writer Aarian Marshall and WIRED's innovations editor Jeremy White for a conversation about where the Cybertruck’s development went wrong and how the EV’s difficult birth affects Tesla’s larger EV vision.
Show Notes:
Read Jeremy and Aarian’s story about the leaked Tesla documents that revealed the Cybertruck’s design flaws. Check out all WIRED’s coverage of Tesla and electric vehicles.
Recommendations:
Aarian recommends Shokz Open Run headphones for running. Jeremy recommends that you get some proper tea, either loose leaf or PG Tips in paper bags. (And please only add the milk after you’ve poured in the hot water.) Mike recommends the podcast This Little Light, hosted by Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Lauren recommends Jennifer Egan’s book The Candy House and the documentary series Smartless On the Road on Max.
Aarian Marshall can be found on Twitter @AarianMarshall. Jeremy White is @jeremywired. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.
How Black Twitter Defined Culture
Thinking About Buying a Hybrid Car? Listen Up
We Demystify the Internet's Acronyms
A Chat About Airchat
From WIRED Politics Lab: How Election Deniers Are Weaponizing Tech To Disrupt November
Shopping for a New Social Feed
DOJ Calls Out Apple in the Group Chat
A 3-Body Podcast
The TikTok Ban
Google’s ‘Woke AI’ Problem
The Non-Techie's Guide to Nvidia
Tech Workers Are Stressed Out
The Weird World of an AI Clickbait King
Several People Are Talking
Apple’s Uncanny Valley Pro
I Know What You Did With That Bitcoin
AI Hits the Campaign Trail
C’ES la Vie
Abortion Pill Orders Are Soaring
Live on Stage: Reid Hoffman and Fei-Fei Li
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Insight Story: Tech Trends Unpacked
Zero-Shot
Fast Forward by Tomorrow Unlocked: Tech past, tech future
The Unbelivable Truth - Series 1 - 26 including specials and pilot
Darknet Diaries