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Tesla is surprisingly aggressive with media organizations. I think it's one of their hallmarks actually -- I'm not sure why they are this way, but I would guess

Tesla is surprisingly aggressive with media organizations. I think it's one of their hallmarks actually -- I'm not sure why they are this way, but I would guess that they have over the years hardened up in response to one-sided press (I'm thinking of the NYT article claiming their car died and Top Gear in particular). At any rate, it's refreshing to read rebuttals to journalists. My own experience is that it is very rare that journalists both want to get a story right and have time to get it right; the vast majority of modern 'news' is written by glorified bloggers on a deadline.

pcurve 10y ago
I think it's a sign that Tesla is not yet run by an army of corporate lawyers. (or they haven't been able to persuade Elon Musk yet)
poof131 10y ago
Personally, I think Tesla and Musk should shut up. This bantering back at the media might have been “new” and “cool” with other topics, but not when it involves somebody’s death. While it’s fine to respond to inaccurate facts, the catchy headlines (“Misfortune”, “A Tragic Loss”) and the condescending and confrontational tone is totally out of place. Stick to the facts. Talk about how you take this very seriously, are going to look more into it, but do believe the autopilot is safe. After a decade in the military, where bad things happen frequently, I couldn’t imagine public relations acting in this manner: "We bombed the wrong house, but this happens, it's war, the media just doesn't understand". Don’t give people the impression you care more about your business than their lives. Don’t dismiss someone’s death as a statistic. I want Tesla to succeed, but they are starting to leave a bad taste in my mouth. I remember my XO saying, “never get into a shouting match with an idiot, bystanders can’t tell the difference.” Ignore the media if you can’t respond appropriately. The real misfortune here is that somebody died in what was probably a preventable accident, not a poorly sourced Fortune article.
- etendue 10y ago
  Wanted to say that, in addition to agreeing with what you wrote here, I've noticed myself frequently nodding in agreement with your other nicely worded and considered comments. I prefer your version, but I would like to share a slightly different formulation of that aphorism that is equally amusing: never argue with idiots, they'll bring you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
- someguydave 10y ago
  >The real misfortune here is that somebody died in what was probably a preventable accident, not a poorly sourced Fortune article. Indeed, why didn't the Tesla supplement its vision system with radar and/or laser rangefinders? It's pretty obvious that the autopilot is not ready for production use.

pcurve 10y ago

I think it's a sign that Tesla is not yet run by an army of corporate lawyers. (or they haven't been able to persuade Elon Musk yet)

poof131 10y ago

Personally, I think Tesla and Musk should shut up. This bantering back at the media might have been “new” and “cool” with other topics, but not when it involves somebody’s death. While it’s fine to respond to inaccurate facts, the catchy headlines (“Misfortune”, “A Tragic Loss”) and the condescending and confrontational tone is totally out of place. Stick to the facts. Talk about how you take this very seriously, are going to look more into it, but do believe the autopilot is safe. After a decade in the military, where bad things happen frequently, I couldn’t imagine public relations acting in this manner: "We bombed the wrong house, but this happens, it's war, the media just doesn't understand". Don’t give people the impression you care more about your business than their lives. Don’t dismiss someone’s death as a statistic. I want Tesla to succeed, but they are starting to leave a bad taste in my mouth. I remember my XO saying, “never get into a shouting match with an idiot, bystanders can’t tell the difference.” Ignore the media if you can’t respond appropriately. The real misfortune here is that somebody died in what was probably a preventable accident, not a poorly sourced Fortune article.

etendue 10y ago
Wanted to say that, in addition to agreeing with what you wrote here, I've noticed myself frequently nodding in agreement with your other nicely worded and considered comments. I prefer your version, but I would like to share a slightly different formulation of that aphorism that is equally amusing: never argue with idiots, they'll bring you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
someguydave 10y ago
>The real misfortune here is that somebody died in what was probably a preventable accident, not a poorly sourced Fortune article. Indeed, why didn't the Tesla supplement its vision system with radar and/or laser rangefinders? It's pretty obvious that the autopilot is not ready for production use.