< <Xinhua/Ding Ting via Getty ImagesTesla’s Full Self-Driving beta is already making some significant (and arguably needed) strides forward. Electrek says the automaker has rolled out an update that, according to Elon Musk, should reduce the need for human intervention by about a third. He didn’t elaborate on what led to the improvements besides more real-world use, but that’s still a huge leap for an initial update.You can expect more Full Self-Driving updates every five to ten days, Musk added. He further acknowledged that the system would never be perfect, but hoped the likelihood of an error would eventually dip “far lower” than what you’d expect from a human.These kinds of rapid improvements may well be necessary. Tesla still hopes to make the FSD beta widely accessible by the end of 2020, and that might only happen when the system is reliable enough that most drivers will feel comfortable using it.

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Xinhua/Ding Ting via Getty Images

Tesla’s Full Self-Driving beta is already making some significant (and arguably needed) strides forward. Electrek says the automaker has rolled out an update that, according to Elon Musk, should reduce the need for human intervention by about a third. He didn’t elaborate on what led to the improvements besides more real-world use, but that’s still a huge leap for an initial update.

You can expect more Full Self-Driving updates every five to ten days, Musk added. He further acknowledged that the system would never be perfect, but hoped the likelihood of an error would eventually dip “far lower” than what you’d expect from a human.

These kinds of rapid improvements may well be necessary. Tesla still hopes to make the FSD beta widely accessible by the end of 2020, and that might only happen when the system is reliable enough that most drivers will feel comfortable using it.

< < Car makers are making a fuss over the artificial sounds they’re required to produce for their EVs, and Audi is no exception. The German brand explained to Autoblog just how it created the sound for the production E-Tron GT, noting that it was an elaborate process. Audi created the sound from 32 distinct elements using custom software and some ad-hoc discovery. The “foundation” was a 9.8-foot plastic pipe with a fan grafted to one end, producing a low growl that suited the E-Tron GT’s sporty nature.The company’s Stephan Gsell noted the challenge of finding a sound that was pleasing, but also something you could live with every day. A Star Wars podracer sound might be a blast in short bursts, for example, but the novelty could wear off quickly during your daily commute.Audi didn’t borrow from the Porsche Taycan while working on the sound, the company said, although it did use similar techniques and was working on it at roughly the same time.The result is a sound that’s not quite as sci-fi as what you’ll find in the Taycan, but also not just a simple attempt to recreate a gas engine. We’re not quite sure it’s the “emotional” experience Audi claims it is, but that’s not entirely the point. The sound is at once a legal requirement to alert pedestrians as well as a void-filler for people who might be unsettled by the near silence of an EV cabin. And importantly, it’s optional on the inside — you can choose the intensity or turn it off altogether.If you’re wealthy enough to be in the market for an E-Tron GT, you won’t have to wait too long to try it. Production is due to start near the end of 2020, albeit in small numbers.

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 Car makers are making a fuss over the artificial sounds they’re required to produce for their EVs, and Audi is no exception. The German brand explained to Autoblog just how it created the sound for the production E-Tron GT, noting that it was an elaborate process. Audi created the sound from 32 distinct elements using custom software and some ad-hoc discovery. The “foundation” was a 9.8-foot plastic pipe with a fan grafted to one end, producing a low growl that suited the E-Tron GT’s sporty nature.

The company’s Stephan Gsell noted the challenge of finding a sound that was pleasing, but also something you could live with every day. A Star Wars podracer sound might be a blast in short bursts, for example, but the novelty could wear off quickly during your daily commute.

Audi didn’t borrow from the Porsche Taycan while working on the sound, the company said, although it did use similar techniques and was working on it at roughly the same time.

The result is a sound that’s not quite as sci-fi as what you’ll find in the Taycan, but also not just a simple attempt to recreate a gas engine. We’re not quite sure it’s the “emotional” experience Audi claims it is, but that’s not entirely the point. The sound is at once a legal requirement to alert pedestrians as well as a void-filler for people who might be unsettled by the near silence of an EV cabin. And importantly, it’s optional on the inside — you can choose the intensity or turn it off altogether.

If you’re wealthy enough to be in the market for an E-Tron GT, you won’t have to wait too long to try it. Production is due to start near the end of 2020, albeit in small numbers.

< < Tesla cars are now smarter about recognizing street signs. Electrek reports that the automaker is pushing a software update that lets Autopilot detect speed limit signs using the EV’s cameras. Your car should stick to the limit more accurately than it did before, when it was relying solely on GPS data. You shouldn’t risk a ticket just because your car sped up prematurely.You should also have fewer embarrassing moments at intersections. There’s now a chime that sounds when the traffic light you’re waiting for turns green. If there’s a car in front of you, the chime will wait until that vehicle moves forward It’s still up to you to confirm your intention and resume semi-autonomous driving, but that beats listening to honking horns from people waiting behind you.As with most Tesla updates, it could take a few weeks before the new features reach your car. Still, it’s a significant update. It promises a smoother Autopilot experience, of course, but it also inches Tesla slightly closer to its dreams of full self-driving — your car won’t have to rely quite so much on pre-supplied data to navigate.

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Tesla cars are now smarter about recognizing street signs. Electrek reports that the automaker is pushing a software update that lets Autopilot detect speed limit signs using the EV’s cameras. Your car should stick to the limit more accurately than it did before, when it was relying solely on GPS data. You shouldn’t risk a ticket just because your car sped up prematurely.

You should also have fewer embarrassing moments at intersections. There’s now a chime that sounds when the traffic light you’re waiting for turns green. If there’s a car in front of you, the chime will wait until that vehicle moves forward It’s still up to you to confirm your intention and resume semi-autonomous driving, but that beats listening to honking horns from people waiting behind you.

As with most Tesla updates, it could take a few weeks before the new features reach your car. Still, it’s a significant update. It promises a smoother Autopilot experience, of course, but it also inches Tesla slightly closer to its dreams of full self-driving — your car won’t have to rely quite so much on pre-supplied data to navigate.

< < It looks like Donald Trump is about to make good on his promise to go after TikTok. The Trump administration will soon force ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, to sell the app to a U.S. Owner, Bloomberg reports.And there’s already one tech giant reportedly eyeing the video app: Microsoft. Fox Business reporter Charles Gasparino reports the company “is in talks to buy,” TikTok. The app, which has been downloaded 187 million times in the U.S. According to Sensor Tower, is frequently cited as one of the few credible competitors to Facebook. Facebook-owned Instagram is reportedly set to release its own copy of the app very soon.It’s unclear exactly what steps Trump plans to take separate the U.S. Version of the app from its Chinese owners. According to Gasparino, Trump could force a sale via the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). The Trump administration used a similar tactic last year when it forced the Chinese owner of Grindr to sell the dating app to a U.S buyer.In a statement, a spokesperson for TikTok said the company is “confident in the long-term success” of the app. "While we do not comment on rumors or speculation, we are confident in the long-term success of TikTok,” the spokesperson said. “Hundreds of millions of people come to TikTok for entertainment and connection, including our community of creators and artists who are building livelihoods from the platform. We’re motivated by their passion and creativity, and committed to protecting their privacy and safety as we continue working to bring joy to families and meaningful careers to those who create on our platform."Microsoft didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.The news comes after weeks of speculation about TikTok’s future in the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said earlier this month that the government was “looking at” banning the app, and Congress has recently moved to bar TikTok from federally-issued devices.TikTok has maintained that the app operates independently from its Chinese parent company, and that it wouldn’t cooperate with requests to hand over user data. The company recently appointed an American CEO, former Disney executive Kevin Mayer, and has taken several steps to increase transparency of its policies and product.

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It looks like Donald Trump is about to make good on his promise to go after TikTok. The Trump administration will soon force ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, to sell the app to a U.S. Owner, Bloomberg reports.

And there’s already one tech giant reportedly eyeing the video app: Microsoft. Fox Business reporter Charles Gasparino reports the company “is in talks to buy,” TikTok. The app, which has been downloaded 187 million times in the U.S. According to Sensor Tower, is frequently cited as one of the few credible competitors to Facebook. Facebook-owned Instagram is reportedly set to release its own copy of the app very soon.

It’s unclear exactly what steps Trump plans to take separate the U.S. Version of the app from its Chinese owners. According to Gasparino, Trump could force a sale via the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). The Trump administration used a similar tactic last year when it forced the Chinese owner of Grindr to sell the dating app to a U.S buyer.

In a statement, a spokesperson for TikTok said the company is “confident in the long-term success” of the app. "While we do not comment on rumors or speculation, we are confident in the long-term success of TikTok,” the spokesperson said. “Hundreds of millions of people come to TikTok for entertainment and connection, including our community of creators and artists who are building livelihoods from the platform. We’re motivated by their passion and creativity, and committed to protecting their privacy and safety as we continue working to bring joy to families and meaningful careers to those who create on our platform."

Microsoft didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The news comes after weeks of speculation about TikTok’s future in the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said earlier this month that the government was “looking at” banning the app, and Congress has recently moved to bar TikTok from federally-issued devices.

TikTok has maintained that the app operates independently from its Chinese parent company, and that it wouldn’t cooperate with requests to hand over user data. The company recently appointed an American CEO, former Disney executive Kevin Mayer, and has taken several steps to increase transparency of its policies and product.

< <Audi wants to give prospective buyers of its electric Q4 SUVs plenty of options, so it has just unveiled the Q4 Sportback E-Tron concept — a “sexy back” coupé version of the Q4 E-Tron SUV it unveiled last year. The two vehicles will share Audi’s modular electrification platform (MEB), meaning the Sportback will pack an 82 kWh battery with 280 miles (WLPT) of range. It also shares the same 225kW electric powertrain that can propel it from 0-62 mph in 6.3 seconds.The interior, lighting, modeled fenders, large 22-inch wheels and other features will be the same on both vehicles, too. However, where the original Q4 E-Tron gives off a rugged SUV vibe, the Q4 Sportback concept has a more refined, rounded look. The D-pillars at the rear also slope more, making the Sportback version look longer, Audi noted.Inside, you’ll find a large-format heads-up display with a new augmented reality feature. That can display key info like GPS turning arrows “directly on the course of the road,” Audi said. It also offers a 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment and vehicle functions, with a strip of buttons below the A/C for control.Both Q4 E-Tron vehicles are smaller and considerably cheaper than the original E-Tron and E-Tron Sportback EVs. They can go farther on a charge, to boot, as the original Sportback E-Tron is only rated for 270 miles (max) by WLPT standards. The quattro all-wheel drive Q4 Sportback versions will go 280 miles, while the rear-wheel drive versions will be rated for up to 311 miles, again by WLPT standards (EPA ratings will be considerably less).Audi hasn’t released pricing for the Q4 Sportback E-Tron yet. However, the regular Q4 E-Tron model is expected to cost in the neighborhood of $45,000, so the Sportback version should be around that price too. That’s a full $30,000 less than the regular E-Tron, and puts the Q4 Sportback E-Tron into the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y price category. While it won’t match those vehicles in terms of range, Audi buyers can probably expect a higher level of build quality.

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Audi wants to give prospective buyers of its electric Q4 SUVs plenty of options, so it has just unveiled the Q4 Sportback E-Tron concept — a “sexy back” coupé version of the Q4 E-Tron SUV it unveiled last year. The two vehicles will share Audi’s modular electrification platform (MEB), meaning the Sportback will pack an 82 kWh battery with 280 miles (WLPT) of range. It also shares the same 225kW electric powertrain that can propel it from 0-62 mph in 6.3 seconds.

The interior, lighting, modeled fenders, large 22-inch wheels and other features will be the same on both vehicles, too. However, where the original Q4 E-Tron gives off a rugged SUV vibe, the Q4 Sportback concept has a more refined, rounded look. The D-pillars at the rear also slope more, making the Sportback version look longer, Audi noted.

Inside, you’ll find a large-format heads-up display with a new augmented reality feature. That can display key info like GPS turning arrows “directly on the course of the road,” Audi said. It also offers a 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment and vehicle functions, with a strip of buttons below the A/C for control.

Both Q4 E-Tron vehicles are smaller and considerably cheaper than the original E-Tron and E-Tron Sportback EVs. They can go farther on a charge, to boot, as the original Sportback E-Tron is only rated for 270 miles (max) by WLPT standards. The quattro all-wheel drive Q4 Sportback versions will go 280 miles, while the rear-wheel drive versions will be rated for up to 311 miles, again by WLPT standards (EPA ratings will be considerably less).

Audi hasn’t released pricing for the Q4 Sportback E-Tron yet. However, the regular Q4 E-Tron model is expected to cost in the neighborhood of $45,000, so the Sportback version should be around that price too. That’s a full $30,000 less than the regular E-Tron, and puts the Q4 Sportback E-Tron into the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y price category. While it won’t match those vehicles in terms of range, Audi buyers can probably expect a higher level of build quality.

< <Tesla has appeared in a JD Power Initial Quality Study for the first time, and it doesn’t look good for the electric car maker — although the story is more complex than it sounds. JD Power ranked Tesla last out of 32 brands operating in the US, with 250 problems per 100 vehicles. The top brands, Dodge and Kia, had ‘just’ 136 problems. Tesla wasn’t officially participating in the study as it doesn’t grant permission to survey owners in 15 states where it’s required, but JD Power collected enough surveys (about 1,250) from other states to produce a score.That’s not a sterling result, but the numbers don’t say everything. JD Power automotive president Doug Betts told CNBC that Tesla’s issues were mostly related to production-related issues like body panel gaps, paint flaws and squeaks. For contrast, nearly a quarter of all automakers’ problems stemmed from infotainment issues like touchscreens, phone connectivity and built-in navigation. Tesla vehicles may have more issues, then, but they’re less likely to be ones that affect the basic functionality of the car.We’ve asked Tesla for comment.These findings aren’t completely surprising. Tesla has been scrambling to boost production and make cars like the Model 3 profitable, and there have long been concerns that refinement wasn’t the highest priority. It’s not uncommon to read new owners’ stories of panel gaps and other small but irksome issues, particularly for earlier production runs of a given EV. It’s not certain how Tesla will respond to the study, but this could spur on critics who want the company to focus less on car delivery numbers and more on the quality of the cars that reach customers.

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Tesla has appeared in a JD Power Initial Quality Study for the first time, and it doesn’t look good for the electric car maker — although the story is more complex than it sounds. JD Power ranked Tesla last out of 32 brands operating in the US, with 250 problems per 100 vehicles. The top brands, Dodge and Kia, had ‘just’ 136 problems. Tesla wasn’t officially participating in the study as it doesn’t grant permission to survey owners in 15 states where it’s required, but JD Power collected enough surveys (about 1,250) from other states to produce a score.

That’s not a sterling result, but the numbers don’t say everything. JD Power automotive president Doug Betts told CNBC that Tesla’s issues were mostly related to production-related issues like body panel gaps, paint flaws and squeaks. For contrast, nearly a quarter of all automakers’ problems stemmed from infotainment issues like touchscreens, phone connectivity and built-in navigation. Tesla vehicles may have more issues, then, but they’re less likely to be ones that affect the basic functionality of the car.

We’ve asked Tesla for comment.

These findings aren’t completely surprising. Tesla has been scrambling to boost production and make cars like the Model 3 profitable, and there have long been concerns that refinement wasn’t the highest priority. It’s not uncommon to read new owners’ stories of panel gaps and other small but irksome issues, particularly for earlier production runs of a given EV. It’s not certain how Tesla will respond to the study, but this could spur on critics who want the company to focus less on car delivery numbers and more on the quality of the cars that reach customers.