After putting “Don’t Panic” on the dashboard of a sports car headed to Mars, naming a giant drill after SpongeBob SquarePants’ pet snail Gary, and giving Tesla vehicles a Spaceballs-inspired “ludicrous mode,” Elon Musk has made it clear that he’s the kind of nerd who never misses an opportunity to make a pop-culture reference. We can relate, but the fact that he also just so happens to be the CEO of three incredibly newsworthy companies allows him to make his references reality like no geek can. Case in point: Tesla’s semi-truck now has “Mad Max Mode.”
In response to a photoshopped imaged showing the Tesla semi as the war rig in the fabulous Fury Road film, Tesla and Musk have apparently already added a real “Mad Max Mode” to the truck’s autonomous blindspot detection and spacing, or at least to the development-stage autopilot display. The mode reportedly decreases the distance the truck will keep between itself and objects in the blindspot.
It’s real pic.twitter.com/L9h3F86Guo
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 25, 2018
We can only hope that the new mode only makes the truck respond to blindspot obstructions as rapidly as Charlize Theron in motor oil face paint would, and doesn’t involve blood bags of any kind. Though, as another Twitter photoshop pointed out, going full Mad Max might look pretty fangin’ cool.
We all know this is what Mad Max mode was designed for… pic.twitter.com/Qd1fBvcn0P
— Erik Kuna 🚀 (@erikkuna) June 25, 2018
Also on today’s show: we learn a little more about Elon’s secret school, the tried and true proton rocket is officially retired, and the Musk Man has some thoughts on a new study that says we’re likely the only intelligent life in the universe.
Muskwatch airs on Nerdist.com and YouTube every Tuesday, but you can watch the full archive and get your favorite shows two full days earlier on Sunday if you’re an Alpha subscriber. If you’re not already, find out how you can get 30 days free right here.
What do you think of this week’s biggest stories? What would you like to see us explore on the next Muskwatch? Let us know in the comments below!
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