Howdy. We're covering new revelations about Elon Musk's push for Autopilot, and a flying car that you have to partially assemble yourself.
Let's get to it.
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1. There's a lot going on in Tesla World. A new report from The New York Times dove into CEO Elon Musk's push for an automated driving system in Tesla's vehicles. The report comes amid the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's investigation of 12 accidents involving Teslas using Autopilot. Among the report's revelations:
- Musk pushed for cameras instead of radars in self-driving cars, arguing that cars should navigate the world using the same senses human drivers do. It's a departure from Tesla's competitors, nearly all of which use radar.
- A Tesla on Autopilot crashed while filming a promo video for the company's self-driving tech. The Tesla hit a barrier and needed to be repaired — but the company still used the footage.
- Elon Musk shot down a system that would monitor Autopilot malfunctions, reportedly berating the employee who suggested it. More on that here.
- In other Tesla news: The SEC is investigating claims that Tesla withheld information about the fire risks of its panels. What we know about the investigation so far.
2. Better.com's CEO accused hundreds of employees of "stealing" by working only two hours daily. The digital mortgage company's CEO laid off 900 employees over Zoom last week and accused at least 250 of them of working only two hours a day. Here's what else he told employees.
3. DoorDash is rolling out ultrafast delivery in New York City. DoorDash is the latest rapid-grocery-delivery service to launch in Manhattan, and is promising delivery in 10-15 minutes for residents of the Big Apple. What we know about its NYC launch.
4. A new report sheds more light on how TikTok keeps users hooked. According to a document viewed by The New York Times, TikTok keeps the videos on users' home pages diverse because it doesn't want them to "get bored and close the app." Get the latest on the app's addictive algorithm.
5. A software engineer left a six-figure job that was ruining her mental health. Debbie Ly quit her job in tech to become a consultant and find a work-life balance. She explains how she knew it was time to quit.
6. Rohingya refugees have sued Facebook for over $150 billion. Refugees living in the UK and the US allege Facebook helped foster genocide in Myanmar. The suit cites a UN investigation that said Facebook played a "determining role" in the genocide of 24,000 Rohingya people. More on the lawsuit here.
7. Leaked documents show a shift in Meta's priorities. Facebook's parent company, Meta, is pivoting to focus on selling more products directly on Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger, according to a document obtained by Insider. Everything we learned from the internal document.
8. WhatsApp will now let users set all chats to disappear by default. According to the Verge, WhatsApp has changed its disappearing messages feature to give users more options for the length of time before a message is deleted, including after 24 hours and 90 days. Here's the rundown on the new feature.
9. An Amazon Flex delivery driver in his 60s shared what it's like to work independently for the retail giant. The driver, who's retired from the military, makes about $120 a day, and said he recommends it to others looking for work. This is what he told us about his gig.
10. A new flying car can stay airborne for 20 minutes. Jetson's first flying car, the $92,000 Jetson One, is already on sale. Available globally, the car can reach speeds of 63mph — but it only comes partially assembled, and you have to finish building it at home. See the Jetson One here.
What we're watching today:
- The Microsoft 365 Collaboration Conference takes place today through Dec. 9.
- Earnings expected from AutoZone and Stitch Fix. Keep up with earnings here.
Curated by Jordan Parker Erb in New York. (Feedback or tips? Email [email protected] or tweet @jordanparkererb.) Edited by Michael Cogley in London.