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Tesla, Boring Company, Neuralink, SpaceX: Elon Musk provides company updates from Austin's Giga Texas
Tesla CEO Elon Musk talked the future of mankind, government spending and his companies from the new Tesla headquarters at Giga Texas in southeast Travis County for the Wall Street Journal's CEO Council this week.
The interview covered a lot of ground, from his view that the $2 trillion reconciliation bill pending in the Senate should just be canned to his thoughts on declining birth rates. On the latter, he made a dire prediction that "civilization is going to crumble" if people don't have more children. He also talked about his multitasking, saying he splits his time somewhat evenly between Tesla and SpaceX. "It really depends where I'm needed most," he said.
But he stressed the potential of SpaceX, saying the kind of rocket they're working on could be the difference between whether humanity becomes a multi-planetary species or not. Meanwhile, he's also juggling projects at Neuralink, which he said may eventually allow people with paralysis to gain mobility.
These are a few key takeaways of plans for his companies and their impact on Texas:
Tesla
Cybertruck in NYC pic.twitter.com/Q7JnSo1QoX
— Tesla (@Tesla) May 8, 2021
All the hype is around the new Tesla Cybertruck, which he said may be Tesla’s best product ever. He expects to provide an update during the Tesla earnings call early next year but reiterated that the company is aiming for full volume production in 2023 from Giga Texas.
“I wish it could be sooner, but that’s most likely when it happens,” Musk said. “It will be something really special. Just one of those kinds of rare products that happens once in a while.”
Musk boasted Tesla’s share of the EV market, saying the company is responsible for roughly two-thirds of EVs in the U.S. with more coming, as the Model Y is revving up for production at the Austin factory, as well.
The Boring Company
Vegas Loop is expanding - 29 miles and 51 stations!
— The Boring Company (@boringcompany) October 20, 2021
Thanks to the Clark County team for the great partnership and to the Commissioners for unanimous approval. https://t.co/KrfF5SUsxq
The Boring Company, a tunnel construction business that Musk founded, envisions a network of tunnels in cities, making more and more levels as needed to accommodate the population of travelers.
Musk says he thinks a combination of double decking freeways and building tunnels will be the way to eliminate traffic. “If we don’t do something, we will be stuck in traffic forever," Musk said.
The company’s first underground transportation system is in Las Vegas, where it has faced the potential of penalties for missing contractual targets. In Central Texas, The Boring Company is laying out more ground with positions open in Austin and Bastrop for roles in engineering, operations, and production.
Neuralink
Monkey MindPong https://youtu.be/rsCul1sp4hQ\u00a0pic.twitter.com/GYrYNsJ68u— Neuralink (@Neuralink) 1617925069
Musk founded Neuralink in 2016 with the aim of developing a brain-machine interface system, which entails implanting a small gadget into a person's brain to track neural activity, similar to how activity trackers like Fitbit count steps, heart rate and other physical activities. The company has a few employees in Austin.
Musk said he’s “cautiously optimistic” about the possibility of restoring full body functionality for those with spinal cord injuries with the implantable brain-machine interface.
Currently, they are testing on monkeys to ensure safety. The plan is to make it available for people with spinal cord injuries next year, pending FDA approval.
He added that their standards for safety are higher than what the FDA requires, just as Tesla’s standards for safety are higher than what the government requires.
SpaceX
We will soon make these realpic.twitter.com/t4z5oNFnwW— Elon Musk (@Elon Musk) 1638630495
Musk has big plans with SpaceX. He's working on Starship, a reusable orbital rocket, that could be the difference between whether humanity becomes a multi-planetary species or doesn't.
Musk said there are moments where he wonders whether it’ll actually get pulled off. If it is accomplished, he emphasized what an achievement he thinks it’ll be.
“This is a profound revolution in access to orbit,” Musk said. “There has never been a fully reusable orbital launch vehicle. This is the holy grail of space technology.”
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Popular
(Nick Wagner/The Texas Tribune)
By Jaden Edison and Patrick Svitek
SAN ANTONIO — A tractor-trailer found near Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio contained the bodies of 50 dead people, along with 16 others who have been taken to hospitals, according to local officials in San Antonio and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
“This is nothing short of a horrific human tragedy,” San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said at a news conference near the scene.
Local officials said federal authorities were now investigating the case and that three people were in custody, but it was unclear if they were connected to the incident. A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson said Homeland Security Investigations is leading a criminal investigation with the support of San Antonio police.
The horrifying discovery was made near the intersection of Cassin Drive and Quintana Road in Southwest San Antonio.
Federal, state and local authorities believe that the victims were migrants. Cross-border smuggling and human trafficking have been longstanding problems along the U.S.-Mexico border, but the deaths of 50 people represent a stunning loss of life. San Antonio Police Chief William McManus described the case as the deadliest human smuggling incident he could recall in the city.
Authorities received the first call about the truck shortly before 6 p.m. from a worker in the area who had heard a cry for help and went to investigate, McManus said.
According to a law enforcement official, it appears people were trying to jump out of the tractor-trailer because some of the deceased were found along several blocks. The tractor-trailer had a refrigeration system, the official said, but it did not appear to be working. Many of the people found inside the vehicle appeared to have been sprinkled with steak seasoning, the official said, in perhaps an attempt to cover up the smell of people as the smugglers were transporting them.
Authorities said the truck’s doors were partly open when they arrived; a body was outside the vehicle and the rest could be seen inside. The city’s fire chief, Charles Hood, said the survivors did not appear to have access to water and were too weak to exit the truck on their own.
“We’re not supposed to open up a truck and see stacks of bodies in there,” Hood said. “None of us come to work imagining that.”
Twelve adults and four children were taken to hospitals. They were hot to the touch and were suffering from heat exhaustion and heat stroke, but Hood said he was “very hopeful” that they would survive.
With a few days left in the month, National Weather Service meteorologists say June 2022 has already become the warmest June on record in San Antonio.
The average number of days with temperatures of 100 degrees or higher in San Antonio is nine, according to historical data from NWS dating back to 1885. This year, San Antonio has had 16 days with temperatures of 100 degrees or higher, NWS meteorologist Bob Fogarty said.
McManus told reporters that he was not confident that everyone who had been inside the truck had been accounted for, and that authorities still don’t have an indication of how many people in total had been inside the truck. He said the three people in custody were not found with the truck, but declined to comment further.
Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said the Mexican consul in San Antonio was en route to the incident site, according to Reuters. Ebrard said the nationalities of all the victims were still unknown, but Guatemalan officials said in a statement that U.S. and Mexican authorities have confirmed some of the victims are from Guatemala. Officials with the Guatemalan consulate in McAllen said they are visiting a hospital to see if two of the children who survived are from Guatemala.
The Honduran foreign ministry said it is investigating whether any of the victims were from Honduras. Alex Selgado of Fuerza Catracha, a Honduran immigrant rights organization, told The San Antonio Express-News at the scene that “officials did inform us that some of the deceased may be Honduran because they had emblems or insignia of our country” on their clothing.
In 2017, San Antonio police discovered 39 undocumented immigrants inside of a scorching-hot tractor-trailer, resulting in 10 deaths. The driver of the truck was sentenced to life in prison in 2018.
Meanwhile in 2003, 19 undocumented immigrants were found dead in Victoria after suffocating in an airless trailer.
The Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol last week said it had disrupted four human smuggling events that resulted in 50 arrests.
“I am heartbroken by the tragic loss of life today and am praying for those still fighting for their lives,” said Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. secretary of Homeland Security. “Far too many lives have been lost as individuals — including families, women, and children — take this dangerous journey.”
In a tweet responding to the incident, Gov. Greg Abbott blamed the deaths on President Joe Biden, saying that “they are a result of his deadly open border policies.”
Democrat Beto O’Rourke, who’s running against Abbott for governor, tweeted that the incident is “devastating.”
Gustavo García-Siller, the Roman Catholic archbishop of San Antonio, wrote on Twitter: “Once again, the lack of courage to deal with immigration reform is killing and destroying lives. We do not learn. God teach us to change.”
The Mexican consul general in San Antonio, Ruben Minutti, asked any Mexican citizens seeking help or information about the incident to call the consulate at 210-872-4386, according to San Antonio Report.
(Valencia Hotel Group)
Live music and beer? Say no more. With a location in Austin, and others throughout Texas, the court hotels by the Valencia Hotel Group have a new offering for weekend stays: Live Music & Longnecks.
Enjoy live music all weekend long and check out the hotels’ state-of-the-art amenities between sets. Make a splash in the pool, enjoy outdoor fire pits, or challenge your friends in a yard game while enjoying a weekend full of live music! Did we mention the package includes deluxe accommodations and a bucket of beer? Oh, and if you needed more convincing, this pet-friendly hotel means the whole family can join in on the fun.
The hotels
Explore any of the Court Hotels by Valencia Hotel Group for a memorable escape. Each property offers a unique experience remnant of yesteryear but with all of the modern amenities that make for a fun and comfortable stay. With acres of landscaped courtyards, relax and unwind in an outdoor environment perfect for doing everything or absolutely nothing at all. With locations in Austin, College Station, Irving, and Lubbock your urban retreat has never been so close.
The music
Locals and travelers alike are invited to enjoy the deep roots of Texas music all summer long with a robust lineup of live performances. From the banks of the San Antonio Riverwalk to Irving’s manicured streets, Valencia’s hotels are a place to gather and reconnect, offering uniquely Texan settings for the weekly performances.
“We’re proud of the community we’ve fostered among Texas musicians and the many rising stars who perform at our properties,” says Amy Trench, corporate director of brand marketing & PR for Valencia Hotel Group.
In Austin, you can catch good ol’ fashioned Texas country by Drew Moreland and Clayton Gardner, bluegrass by Reagan Quinn, and much, much more.
With unique programming at each of Valencia’s properties, there’s something for everyone to enjoy all summer long.
The perks
If you’re a Valencia Hotel Group Rewards member, the perks are plentiful. Enjoy up to 10% off the Best Available Rate, and for a limited time, members can save up to 15% off a stay of 2 nights or more, for select stays in 2022.
But that’s really just the beginning. At select locations, you can enjoy discounts on weeknight stays, a complimentary third night, or curated packages for a romantic getaway or a night of watching the Verde at Q2 Stadium. You’ll also find special rates for AAA and AARP Members, educators, and front-line heroes including military, law enforcement, fire, and rescue workers.
