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Tesla’s ‘Master Plan’ part 2: solar, self-driving, and sharing

In his “Master Plan, Part Deux” published Wednesday night, Musk said that once Tesla vehicles are fully autonomous, the company will set up a shared fleet program that enables owners to make money off their auto by letting other people use it.

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Musk said Tesla would drop the “beta” label for Autopilot when the system is “ten times safer than the United States vehicle average”. Musk has also chose to merge SolarCity with the Tesla Power Wall division – combining energy generation with storage for residential and business consumers. It’s also developing heavy-duty cargo trucks and public transport vehicles, which it hopes to unveil sometime next year. They have risen 5 percent since July 8, after Musk said he was working on a second master plan. The beta label will only be removed when the system is about 10 times safer than the average US driver. “When true self-driving is approved by regulators, it will mean that you will be able to summon your Tesla from pretty much anywhere”, Musk writes.

The future autonomous driving feature, explained by Musk in a blog post, would allow Tesla vehicles to drive other people when not in use “and have it generate income for you while you’re at work or on vacation”.

Musk also outlined his vision for Tesla owners to be part of a car-sharing system. A fleet of autonomous Teslas acting as taxis means selling a auto cheaper than the £30,000 Model 3 is, according to Musk, “unlikely to be necessary”. Musk however, would like to release some type of compact SUV and a “pickup truck”. According to Musk, Tesla will be ready to unveil its electric truck and electric bus in a year.

Tesla now refers to Autopilot as “beta”, and once it reaches a point where Autopilot is approximately 10 times safer than the U.S. vehicle average, the beta label will be removed.

“Enable your vehicle to make money for you when you aren’t using it” is one of Musk’s new ideas he unveiled.

“Today, Tesla addresses two relatively small segments of premium sedans and SUVs”, Musk said in the new master plan.

“A smoothly integrated and handsome solar-roof-with-battery product that just works, empowering the individual as their own utility, and then scale that throughout the world”.

Musk says that these kinds of schemes could “significantly” offset loans or leases, which in turn could drive down the true cost of ownership and give “almost anyone” the chance to own a Tesla.

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Not only will self-driving technology mean you can summon your Tesla to wherever you are, said Musk – but you’ll also be able to add your vehicle to the Tesla shared fleet, meaning it can “generate income for you while you’re at work or on vacation”.

Don't count on a cheaper Model 3 or a cheaper Tesla