Are you uncomfortable with the idea of Tesla letting owners test Full Self-Driving betas on public streets? You're not the only one. Reutersreports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating a driver's complaint that the FSD beta led to a November 3rd collision in Brea, California. The owner alleged that his Model Y entered the wrong lane, leading to impact with another car and serious damage on the left side.

The EV offered an alert partway through the turn, according to the driver. However, the FSD software supposedly wouldn't let the driver regain control, forcing the car into the wrong lane. Tesla hasn't commented on the incident and is believed to have disbanded its PR team. The automaker has usually limited the beta to volunteer drivers with high safety scores and warned that testers must be ready to take over on short notice.

The investigation won't necessarily conclude that FSD was responsible for the collision, or lead to major action against Tesla. It does, however, represent the latest in a growing number of run-ins between Tesla and regulators. The NHTSA launched a probe into Autopilot this August following a string of emergency vehicle crashes, and it expressed concern in October that Tesla was using a beta "on public roads." Officials aren't thrilled that Tesla is testing in real traffic, and the investigation might support their case.

Google just fixed one of the Pixel 6's more irksome bugs — at least, for people in your address book. As Android Policereports, the company has issued a patch for a Google app flaw that randomly auto-dialed people in your contacts. That was more than a little irritating, particularly if your phone tried to call a family member in the wee hours of the night.

The issue stems from flawed Google Assistant hotword detection. You could clear the Google app's cache and settings to temporarily solve the issue, but the only surefire solution until now was to disable hotword recognition entirely.

This certainly isn't the only Pixel 6 hiccup. Owners of the Android 12 flagship have complained of display flickering, slow fingerprint detection and other nuisances. However, it's safe to presume a bug like this would take high priority given the potential fallout from unwanted calls.

Tesla may be thriving despite chip shortages, but those shortcomings are apparently making an impact on the cars people get. Electrek has learned numerous Model 3 and Model Y buyers are receiving their electric vehicles without USB-C ports in the center console or rear seating areas. Some customers said they were alerted in advance, but others only found out when they took their EVs home.

Delivery specialists and others at Tesla have pinned the missing USB ports on chip shortages. Some customers have heard Tesla would install the missing connectors in December, but it's not clear if this applies to every affected owner. Tesla has long stopped responding to requests for comment and is believed to have disbanded its PR team.

This isn't the first time brands have shipped cars without parts, including Tesla. BMW recently removed touchscreen features from some models, while that company and Tesla have both removed passenger lumbar support options. And there aren't many great alternatives — automakers have delayed orders, halted production and otherwise asked customers to wait longer than usual.

Even so, this could leave more than a few Tesla buyers upset. The absence of USB ports breaks not only connectivity, but wireless charging. That's a luxury, to be sure, but it's one you'd expect given Tesla's price tags. It might also sour customers worried Tesla might be sacrificing quality to meet its quarterly delivery targets.

President Biden's security and domestic production efforts may have a pronounced effect on Intel's plans. Bloombergsources claim the White House "strongly discouraged" Intel from ramping up chip production in China to help address chip shortages. The improved capacity could have been available before the end of 2022, but the Biden administration was reportedly worried about security issues.

The semiconductor firm didn't completely rule out future Chinese production increases, according to the tipsters. However, Intel is believed to have "no plans" at present.

Intel didn't directly acknowledge the government objection in a statement, but welcomed "other solutions" to help meet chip demand. The company had looked at a "number of approaches" in tandem with the US, including new wafer manufacturing in the US and Europe.

An approach like this wouldn't be surprising, if accurate. Biden has continued a wary stance toward Chinese technology, going so far as to sign a law barring Huawei and ZTE from receiving FCC network licenses. While the sources didn't elaborate on the security issues with Intel, company chief Pat Gelsinger previously said a heavy dependence on Asian manufacturing represented a supply chain threat. There have also been historical concerns companies were improperly sharing sensitive technology with China.

Even if security weren't an issue, economic development might be a factor. Biden has pushed for more manufacturing in the US to address chip shortages, and Intel's reported Chinese expansion would have contradicted that policy. It also wouldn't have helped attempts to counter China's growth as an economic superpower.

Whatever the reasoning, a change of heart like this also risks prolonging chip shortages. While Intel is building US plants and asking for external manufacturing help, those efforts will take time and might not cover every shortfall. Intel may have to accept a near-term blow to production to honor the White House's goals, especially if it wants any factory-oriented funds from the stalled CHIPS Act.

The Biden administration wants to bolster the United States' collaboration on cybersecurity, and that includes forming key partnerships. As Axiosreports, Vice President Kamala Harris has revealed the White House will back the Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace. The voluntary agreement will see the US work with other countries and hundreds of companies (including Google and Microsoft) to both foster an open internet and strive for better internet security through common goals and laws.

This came on top of existing cooperation, including joint efforts to hold countries accountable for harboring online criminals, a long-awaited revamp of NATO cybersecurity policy and an anti-ransomware alliance formed in October. The State Department is also establishing a Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy that will tackle cybersecurity and other technology issues.

The move contrasts sharply with the Trump administration's stance. The US refused to sign the Paris Call in 2018, joining countries like China, Iran and Russia. While the previous White House did boost some cybersecurity efforts, critics accused it of a soft approach in other areas. Trump at one point incorrectly claimed Russia had stopped cyberattacks against the US.

The decision won't necessarily transform security. Wirednoted the Paris Call didn't legally bind anyone to honor the agreement's values. This does, however, signal intent — the US wants to show that it will help international cybersecurity initiatives, however well they work in practice.

Twitch is officially available on a Nintendo console — the Amazon-owned brand has released a Twitch app for the Switch (yes, that rhymes) that lets you watch the livestreaming service on the hybrid console. The free app offers the same core functionality as Twitch on other consoles, including on-demand videos. However, the Switch's nature might give it an edge — you can watch docked if you want the largest screen possible, or handheld if you have the itch to tune in from bed.

There is a potential hitch in the Switch version, though. As you might have predicted, this Twitch app is strictly for viewing. You can't natively broadcast your Metroid Dread session, and you certainly can't show your face when there's no selfie camera. You'll still have to route video through a PC (typically using a capture card) if you're more interested in creating content than watching it.

Not that you'll want to expect broadcasting any time soon. While Nintendo hasn't been adamantly opposed to Twitch, former president Reggie Fils-Aime told Polygonin 2014 that the company preferred more focused video sharing instead of simply streaming whatever you happened to be playing. The video game pioneer also has a long history of trying to control online videos and share profits from video producers' work. Although Nintendo has softened its stance since then, it's not exactly in a rush to make Twitch a two-way affair.

The Hummer H1 was based on a military truck, and now it appears GM is ready to return the favor. GM Defense president Steve duMont told CNBC the company planned to build a military vehicle prototype based on the upcoming Hummer EV. The eLRV, or electric Light Reconnaissance Vehicle, would modify the Hummer's frame, motors and Ultium batteries to suit US military requirements.

The prototype should be ready sometime in 2022. There's no guarantee American armed forces will use the eLRV, however. The Army is still exploring the viability of EVs like this, and GM will have to meet formal requirements (along with a rival manufacturer) if and when they exist. A choice is due sometime in the mid-2020s.

Any military EV faces logistical challenges, at least for machines on the front lines. Soldiers couldn't just find a charging station on the battlefield, for starters — they'd need transportable charging systems that aren't dependent on a working electrical grid. DuMont said GM could provide combustion-powered charging systems. We'd add that temperatures significantly affect EV range, and swappable batteries (important for quick turnarounds and repairs) are still in their relative infancy.

There could be advantages to military EV adoption. They might improve overall emissions, even if the need for combustion-based chargers partly offset that advantage. EVs generally require less maintenance due to fewer moving parts. And their quiet operation could be extremely useful for recon and stealth missions where conventional rides would be too noisy. The challenge is to make the most of these advantages while minimizing drawbacks that could hurt operational speeds.

One of the more influential figures of the turn-of-the-millennium internet has died. According to Kotaku, former Something Awful forum moderator Fragmaster has revealed that site founder Richard "Lowtax" Kyanka has died at 45. Fragmaster didn't ask for details surrounding the death, but Kyanka's second wife later said the creator committed suicide.

"Lowtax" launched Something Awful in 1999. It's a mix of blog posts (including comedy and reviews), but it's best known for forums that had an outsized impact on internet culture. It spawned well-known moments like the Zero Wing"all your base" meme and Slender Man, and played an important role in EVE Online's growth (SA's fleet, Goonsquad, has participated in defining battles). It even indirectly fostered 4chan — Chris "Moot" Poole plugged 4chan on SA and was inundated with cat photos, including the legendary "I can haz cheezburger."

Kyanka's last years were problematic. He was accused of domestic violence in 2020, and sold the site to administrator Jeffrey of YOSPOS in October that year. Jeffrey would go on to ban Kyanka from his own site in March 2021. However, there's little doubt that Kyanka's best-known project had a significant effect that will last for years to come.

In the U.S., the number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. Crisis Text Line can be reached by texting HOME to 741741 (US), 686868 (Canada), or 85258 (UK).

You'll soon have the chance to visit Radiohead's virtual exhibition. The band and Epic Games are releasing Kid A Mnesia Exhibition for free on November 18th for PS5, Windows PC and Mac. As you can see from the trailer, the finished project is just what you'd expect — it's a trippy 3D art gallery that blends Radiohead's music from Kid A and Amnesiac (including new sound design from Nigel Godrich) with the unsettling artwork of Thom Yorke and Stanley Donwood.

The exhibit was originally meant to be physical, but a combination of "laws of zoning and physics and COVID-19" (according to Epic) pushed it to the digital realm. Radiohead, Godrich and Donwood teamed with Namethemachine, Arbitrarily Good Productions, artist Sean Evans and theater set designer Christine Jones to create the exhibition. Epic is publishing the end result.

This is clearly a plug for the Kid A Mnesia album that includes both albums and a string of previously unreleased material. At the same time, it might be worthwhile even if you're only casually familiar with Radiohead's tunes. This is a rare chance to explore a legendary group's music and imagery well beyond the usual confines of an album, and more on your own terms.

A lack of technical knowledge may have just influenced an important court case. The New York Timesreports the defense for shooter Kyle Rittenhouse incorrectly claimed that an iPad's pinch-to-zoom function could modify footage of the incident, "creating what it thinks is there, not what necessarily is there." That sparked a debate between lawyers and Judge Schroeder, who maintained the burden was on the prosecution to show the imagery remained in its "virginal state," not on the defense to prove manipulation.

The judge may have accepted the argument. He denied the prosecution's request for an adjournment and instead called for a 15-minute recess, suggesting the team could find an expert to support their claim in that space of time. They didn't, and The Vergenoted that the trial resumed with the jury watching zoom-free video on a Windows PC connected to the courtroom TV.

As you might imagine, the defense's claim played fast and loose with the truth. Pinch-to-zoom on all devices may use algorithms, but only to scale the image — it doesn't change the content itself. This was an attempt to prevent the jury from getting a clearer view of the action, not a genuine challenge to the integrity of the video.

The court scene underscored a recurring problem with technical inexperience in criminal cases. When judges and law enforcement don't understand how technology works, they may set unrealistic expectations or even skew the outcome of a case. Police have repeatedly asked for Alexa recordings on the unfounded assumption that smart speakers are always recording, for instance. While it's not clear if the inaccurate pinch-to-zoom claim will significantly affect Rittenhouse's fate, it certainly didn't help jurors.