Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla, is facing challenges in his business ventures. The electric car company has been struggling since 2025 due to a softening market for electric vehicles (EVs) and the removal of EV-purchase tax credits from President Trump’s spending bill. Additionally, Tesla’s Autopilot driver assist function was found partially responsible for a fatal crash in 2019, resulting in a Miami jury ruling that Tesla must pay $243 million to the victims.
Musk’s company has also faced criticism over its new restaurant venture, Tesla Diner, which opened in Los Angeles last month. A patron reported a chaotic experience with glitching robots, long waits for food, and cold dishes. Yelp reviews are currently disabled due to “content related to media reports.”
Furthermore, Musk’s promise to help America save money through his DOGE cost-cutting department has been questioned after a Senate report revealed that it generated $21.7 billion in waste in the first six months of the year. The report highlights $14.8 billion spent on federal employee pay, $263 million related to Department of Energy loan freezes, and $155 million wasted on weekly emails outlining five accomplishments.
Despite these setbacks, Tesla has announced its intention to appeal the Miami jury’s verdict. Personal injury lawyer Miguel Custodio predicts that this decision could “open the floodgates” for similar lawsuits against Tesla, emboldening others to come forward.
Source: https://www.vanityfair.com/style/story/elon-musk-tesla-autopilot-diner-doge