# Now that Elon Musk has bought Twitter - now the Pit edition (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 25, 2022, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442 "2022-04-25T22:50:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 410
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/8186 "2023-12-14T03:29:50Z")
I appreciate that. And in return it does look like Tesla’s recalls are higher than average. And I really dislike calling their driving aids ‘full self driving’. That’s borderline actionable, and I’m surprised they haven’t been sued for it. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/8187 "2023-12-14T03:32:54Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Your source got the abbreviation wrong. It’s NHTSA. Fuck them! ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/8188 "2023-12-14T05:55:25Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > That’s borderline actionable, and I’m surprised they haven’t been sued for it. **[Scroll up.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition/963442/8155)** Agencies in the State of California are indeed making a false-and-misleading-advertising claim. Unless you meant _privately_ sued by a party (or his/her survivors) who relied on the self-driving claims and was injured or killed. **[Because that’s happening too.](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/nov/22/tesla-autopilot-defective-lawsuit-musk)** ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/8189 "2023-12-14T09:09:15Z")
Ugh! I read that story as a young teen and I think it scared me for life. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/8190 "2023-12-14T09:31:25Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Elmo must be getting tired of his new toy, because now he wants to start his own uni. > > [Elon Musk plans to open a new university in Austin | The Texas Tribune](https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/13/elon-musk-austin-texas-university/) It’s interesting to speculate on Elmo’s motivations for ElmoU. Two of them have already been suggested. One, a source of labour for his ~~salt mines~~ various industries, initially perhaps free labour in the form of interns, and later a permanent workforce that’s been educated in precisely the right technologies and indoctrinated in Elmo’s values. Two, a workforce that’s not only indoctrinated in Elmo’s specific business values, but more broadly indoctrinated in Elmo’s political extremism. That second one parallels the millions that the Koch Foundation has been pouring into university programs that specifically promote their business values and social policies. Whatever Elmo’s motivations, altruism sure as hell isn’t one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Capn\_Carl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Capn\_Carl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capn_Carl)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/8191 "2023-12-14T12:35:25Z")
When it bumps the car from Autopilot to regular cruise, the driver is warned visually, aurally, and the wheel vibrates. My VW did the same. I don’t know what else a manufacturer could do to make an inattentive driver more attentive. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/8192 "2023-12-14T12:46:05Z")
> [@Capn\_Carl](#): > > I don’t know what else a manufacturer could do to make an inattentive driver more attentive. Probably not invite inattentiveness with a mode falsely advertised as autonomous driving. Cars are already incredibly dangerous murder machines even without unsafe technology like that. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/8193 "2023-12-14T13:11:09Z")
You mean they can’t do anything about calling it (or advertising/promoting it as) “Full Self-Driving” when it clearly is not fully self-driving? Well, ok then ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/8194 "2023-12-14T13:17:41Z")
Why do you want to restrict Free Speech??? ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/8195 "2023-12-14T13:28:49Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Two, a workforce that’s not only indoctrinated in Elmo’s specific business values, but more broadly indoctrinated in Elmo’s political extremism. That second one parallels the millions that the Koch Foundation has been pouring into university programs that specifically promote their business values and social policies. Whatever Elmo’s motivations, altruism sure as hell isn’t one of them. It’s hard not to imagine this as the main impetus. “Only I can save them!“ as he rescues those poor, benighted souls by building an entire curriculum around Joe Rogan podcasts. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/8196 "2023-12-14T14:07:53Z")
I don’t know if I would trust a Tesla. Seriously, the CEO is bananas. Who the hell knows what he will program his software to do. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/8197 "2023-12-14T14:23:55Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Two, a workforce that’s not only indoctrinated in Elmo’s specific business values, but more broadly indoctrinated in Elmo’s political extremism. I think you missed 2a (or maybe 4): A workforce personally indebted to his financial organization, since I suspect Elmo’s “X is everything” approach means that he would also be their education lender. ---
**Author:** ![Capn\_Carl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Capn\_Carl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capn_Carl)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/8198 "2023-12-14T14:24:17Z")
Totally agree. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/8199 "2023-12-14T17:28:12Z")
> [@Wolf333](#): > > The fact that Musk is in charge and they can do over the air updates is a very good reason to not buy a Tesla. No kidding. This very fact is one of the reasons I will avoid a Tesla. What happens if Mister Ketamine Crazy Pants suddenly decides to screw with my car (and millions of others) because the Mole-People from Mars told him to? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/8200 "2023-12-14T17:42:36Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > So Elon is trying to do now an AI rooted in distrust and hate. In other new, Trump hires new speech writer… ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/8201 "2023-12-14T17:55:23Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > This sounds dangerous as hell! _“Hey! He’s not looking! Catch!”_ Yes, you think that what you would want it to do would be to sound the warning and then have the autodrive take whatever actions it deems necessary to bring the car to a safe stop, unless the driver actively takes back control. ---
**Author:** ![Capn\_Carl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Capn\_Carl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capn_Carl)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/8202 "2023-12-14T21:38:29Z")
Autopilot is just an advanced cruise. It’s capable of keeping the car in the lane, maintaining a set following distance, and braking when obstacles are in the cars path. That’s all. It can’t pull over and come to a stop. It can’t even change lanes. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/8203 "2023-12-14T22:12:52Z")
So that’s like what pretty much every new car has these days, right? I mean, my wife’s Hyundai has it, my mother-in-law’s Subaru has it, my parents’ Toyota has it. I use the one on the Hyundai all the time, and it works really well. Love it for stop & go traffic as well as cruising along on the highway on a relatively open road. You still have to pay attention, but it’s essentially just adaptive cruise control along with automatic lane centering. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/8204 "2023-12-14T22:44:31Z")
So case in point One thing the company can easily do but won’t do is stop using terminology that can be misconstrued by all and sundry ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/8205 "2023-12-14T23:01:40Z")
Well, that’s because it would impinge on Mr. Free Speech Absolutist’s principled stance on free speech. See the article @Cervaise linked earlier. It’s not fraud, it’s free speech! > **[Tesla claims California false-advertising law violates First Amendment](https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/12/tesla-fights-autopilot-false-advertising-claim-with-free-speech-argument/)** > > Tesla fights DMV complaint that Autopilot is falsely advertised as autonomous. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442.md?page=409) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442.md?page=411)