He stated he’s pursuing this project because semiconductor manufacturers are not producing chips fast enough to meet his companies’ AI and robotics demands. Musk said:

“We either build the Terafab or we don’t have the chips, and we need the chips, so we build the Terafab.”

According to Bloomberg Musk shared his plans during an event in downtown Austin, Texas, with a photo indicating that the “Terafab” facility will be “gigafactory,” located near Tesla’s Austin headquarters.

He also added that the aim is to produce chips capable of supporting 100–200 gigawatts of computing power annually on Earth, as well as one terawatt in space. He did not provide a timeline for the plan.

Image: Presentation of the Terafab project

Having operated in the city for years, Waymo has been methodically expanding its services. The company now facilitates tens of thousands of weekly trips, offering a safe, sustainable, and reliable transportation option for the local community and tourists alike.

Strengthening Community Ties

Waymo is becoming integral to San Francisco’s urban fabric. According to the company, 30% of its rides are directed to local businesses, boosting foot traffic to restaurants, music venues, coffee shops, and more. A recent survey highlighted that over half of Waymo’s users have utilized the service for medical appointments, while 36% connect to other transit systems such as BART or Muni. The service is even popular for wedding departures, adding a touch of modernity to traditional ceremonies.

“I’m thankful to be living in a city that embraces technology when it can improve our lives with convenient and safe modes of transit,” said Michelle Cusano, Executive Director at The Richmond Neighborhood Center.

Committing to Sustainability

In line with San Francisco’s environmental goals, Waymo’s fleet is entirely electric and powered by 100% renewable energy from the City’s CleanPowerSF program. Since its commercial launch in August 2023, Waymo has reduced carbon emissions by an estimated 570,000 kg. Survey results indicate that 53% of users feel that using Waymo has helped them adopt more environmentally friendly travel habits.

Enhancing Safety and Inclusivity

Safety remains a top priority for Waymo. More than half of its riders in San Francisco report an increased sense of personal safety when using the service. Charles Renfroe, Development Manager at Openhouse SF, praised the service for providing a harassment-free travel experience for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals.

Waymo also caters to tourists, with many enjoying rides to landmarks like the Presidio and the Ferry Building. The app supports Spanish and Chinese languages, ensuring accessibility for a diverse user base.

Milestones and Impact

Since Waymo’s waitlist opened, nearly 300,000 people have signed up for the service. With over 20 million rider-only miles and nearly 2 million paid trips, Waymo has demonstrated a strong commitment to safety. Data shows that Waymo’s autonomous vehicles are involved in fewer collisions and insurance claims compared to human-driven vehicles.

Addressing Road Safety

Waymo’s technology aims to enhance road safety, a pressing issue in San Francisco where traffic accidents remain a serious concern. The Waymo Driver is designed to avoid high-severity collisions more effectively than human drivers. Patricia Rillera, Executive Director of MADD California, highlighted the potential of autonomous vehicles to reduce accidents caused by impaired driving.

Community Engagement and Innovation

Waymo collaborates closely with city officials, first responders, and road safety advocates to ensure its service benefits the community. The company is committed to providing safe, eco-friendly transportation options that positively impact local mobility.

Waymo extends its gratitude to its riders, community partners, and the residents of San Francisco for their support. Together, they are helping to keep the city at the forefront of technological innovation, offering a safe, clean, and enjoyable transportation experience for all.

Stellantis N.V. and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. today announced a multi-year technology collaboration to utilize the latest Snapdragon Digital Chassis advancements to deliver intelligent, customizable and immersive in-vehicle experiences to millions of vehicles across Stellantis’ 14 iconic automotive brands beginning in 2024. Leveraging the Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms and 5G capabilities for telematics systems, Stellantis will have the capability to meet customers’ evolving expectations for personalized and cutting-edge experiences that are continually upgradeable.

This agreement will facilitate Stellantis’ plan to merge all software domains into High Performance Computers, leveraging the high-performance, low-power Snapdragon Automotive Platforms across all major vehicle domains as well as contribute to securing Stellantis’ supply chain on strategic components.

Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO said:

“Our technology collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies is another example of how we are identifying industry leaders to work alongside our passionate and talented internal teams as we transform our vehicles through a software-defined approach. This will ultimately better meet the needs of our customers’ lifestyles through safe, personalized, and always-connected features. Qualcomm Technologies’ broad experience in automotive and scale as a semiconductor leader will enable us to vertically integrate key elements of our new platforms and more closely manage the complete electronics supply chain to provide access to the best technologies, enable the fulfillment of Stellantis’ volume potential and achieve our Dare Forward 2030 ambition.”

Cristiano Amon, President and CEO, Qualcomm Incorporated said:

“Qualcomm is honored to expand our work with Stellantis to redefine vehicles in the 21st century by bringing Snapdragon Digital Chassis solutions to their future vehicles. By creating open, scalable, and comprehensive automotive platforms that encompass semiconductors, systems, software, and services, we are empowering Stellantis, as well as the broader automotive ecosystem, to lead the transformation to the digital era of automobiles.”

Taking the driver-vehicle relationship to the next level, Stellantis will use next-generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms to power the in-car communication and infotainment systems for STLA SmartCockpit, which is being designed and engineered together with Amazon and Foxconn. Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms are not only engineered to deliver high-definition graphics to touch and voice-controlled cockpit console, but to also deliver a fully immersive in-cabin experience, enabling premium audio and crystal-clear voice communications throughout the vehicle’s cabin.

Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms will also be used to enhance STLA Brain, bringing a new level of digital intelligence for convenience and safety, and helping to enhance the in-vehicle personal assistant capabilities with highly intuitive artificial intelligence (AI) features, which includes:

• Over-the-air (OTA) updates that will allow the vehicle to naturally evolve and improve over time by being constantly updated, upgraded and enhanced, as well as features on demand and instant vehicle upgrades, such as additional horsepower or drive modes
• Personalized experiences, leveraging AI to adapt to a wide variety of customer preferences
• Improved user experiences, thanks to faster communication with connected features and higher computation power to support future upgrades
• Continuous exciting new services and solutions
• Always-connected experiences
• Improved ownership experiences with diagnostics and repair completed over the air for all major vehicle systems

The first application will be in the Maserati brand to power the next generation Stellantis infotainment system.