Boring Company Investor's Thread

[Maarten]

The length of the tunnel (short), use of EVs (no tank of hydrocarbons to burn), format (diameter and single lane only allow for a sideswipe with the wall), telemetry (low probability of an accident), and system control (cars can reverse from an accident) make crossover/ escape tunnels unnecessary for the Vegas setup.
Longer tunnels could incorporate crossovers, though many of the same points apply.

I understand and agree with the low probability of accidents.
However, still accident probability must be taken into account.
And we have learned from the past that an accident may lead to reactions in panic from people, especially in tunnels.
So yes, they can reverse the car from the situation, but it is not difficult to see the possibility that that will be blocked by someone who in panic collided with the car behind.
Also emergency services need to be able to access the place of accident quickly.
Probably from the other side, when all cars in front have moved away?

Anyway, I do not know the risk calculations, but just one tunnel tube and no extra shielded way to flee gives me a creepy feeling.
Creepy feelings are not good guidance in itself, but should and I hope will have lead to risk investigation and when necessary risk mitigation.

@mongo The tunnel doesn't seem short to me (I know, it's relative..). Do you know how telemetry has been applied?
(background: I am a civil engineer, MSc from Delft University of Technology, have heavily (and heavenly ) invested in TSLA since 2013 and find this an interesting case ).

 

[mongo]

I understand and agree with the low probability of accidents.
However, still accident probability must be taken into account.
And we have learned from the past that an accident may lead to reactions in panic from people, especially in tunnels.
So yes, they can reverse the car from the situation, but it is not difficult to see the possibility that that will be blocked by someone who in panic collided with the car behind.
Also emergency services need to be able to access the place of accident quickly.
Probably from the other side, when all cars in front have moved away?

Anyway, I do not know the risk calculations, but just one tunnel tube and no extra shielded way to flee gives me a creepy feeling.
Creepy feelings are not good guidance in itself, but should and I hope will have lead to risk investigation and when necessary risk mitigation.

@mongo The tunnel doesn't seem short to me (I know, it's relative..). Do you know how telemetry has been applied?
(background: I am a civil engineer, MSc from Delft University of Technology, have heavily (and heavenly ) invested in TSLA since 2013 and find this an interesting case ).

In the current incarnation, the vehicles all have trained drivers (low risk of panic or inital collision) along with the FSD computer providing lane keeping, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking (lowing risk of inital or secondary collision).
Eventually, there will be no drivers to cause an inital nor secondary crash. (Plus they are starting at 35MPH)

On the telemetry side, the entire system has camera coverage and the vehicles can provide wheel sensor level position data to feed go/stop signals to the vehicles on a tunnel section basis (similar to positive train control).
The convention center system is 1.7 miles of tunnel with 2 parallel tunnels and 3 stations, so the average distance per section is about 0.425 miles. Around a quarter mile max distance from an exit. For comparison, the Detroit Windsor Tunnel is about a mile long, single tunnel with two opposing lanes of traffic.
Agree, in the event of an emergency, they can approach from the opposite direction since that should be clear.

This is getting a bit technical, happy to discuss/ theorize more at Boring Company Prepares to Dig in Vegas which I think was the most technical thread.

 

[Maarten]

This is getting a bit technical, happy to discuss/ theorize more at Boring Company Prepares to Dig in Vegas which I think was the most technical thread.

Hmm, guess you are right. For me no need to elaborate further for now. Thanks for the clarifications!

 

[Xepa777]

I GOT AN IN WITH AN UPCOMING BORING COMPANY INVESTMENT ROUND!!!

Hell yah. Hahahaha.

I'm part of a VC investment group (I'm a former VC myself) and this is a hot deal that just came to us. The details are still forming so I don't have a valuation yet.

Here's the catch: I have to invest $250k separately into the general VC fund as part of the deal, then I can invest UP TO $250k into Boring company as well (you'll also get additional Boring exposure as the VC fund is investing into Boring). So I'm actually not sure whether I wanna sell the Tesla stock required to do this (or severely go into deep margin territory hahaha).

Apparently this fund is well connected to Musk because they'll also have Neuralink and SpaceX as well.

This is NOT general solicitation, this is just me shamelessly bragging more than happy to share details in PM though.