US auto safety regulators opened a special investigation into a fatal Tesla Model 3 crash in Texas where the driver reported using the car’s automated driving assistance system, intensifying scrutiny of Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving technologies. The probe directly targets systems that underpin Tesla’s autonomy and robotaxi ambitions, a core pillar of the company’s high-margin software-led business thesis. The new NHTSA probe into a fatal Model 3 crash goes straight at that thesis, as regulatory pushback on Autopilot and FSD is now the most immediate risk. Tesla’s multi-year European battery storage deal with NatPower, targeting more than 100 GWh of Megapack deployments, underlines that the Energy Generation and Storage segment is building a separate, utility scale revenue pillar. Tesla’s narrative projects $149.5 billion revenue and $13.1 billion earnings by 2029, requiring 15.2% yearly revenue growth and a $9.2 billion earnings increase from $3.9 billion today. The most bullish analysts were projecting US$214.1 billion of 2029 revenue and US$17.5 billion of earnings.