It's all about the $$. He can keep the stock hype going by buying SpaceX.

I think there is a lot of misunderstanding and missing context in this comment (and many of the recent Tesla threads here on HN). I'll try to add some additional perspective inline:

> Add to that that Elon said "self-driving is basically a solved problem" and that they'll be doing a cross country trip soon.

He's referring to the approach, and while perhaps a silly statement, Tesla is very clear on their web site that there is more work to do. Immediately after the pull-quotes in the parent comment, Tesla writes in bold letters: "Please note that Self-Driving functionality is dependent upon extensive software validation and regulatory approval, which may vary widely by jurisdiction."

Nobody gets to buy Full Self Driving without seeing a litany of disclaimers that it is not ready and that the timetable is unknown (and which are presented front and center, not buried in some lengthy contract).

> I'm honestly puzzled that Musk doesn't seem to be taking this seriously

I don't think this is right. Safety has been a first order concern in every vehicle Tesla has designed. It's the thing Musk has lead with in every vehicle presentation (even though crowds continue to find it boring). And it's been repeatedly cited by Musk and others at Tesla as a major motivation behind building Autopilot, even before NHTSA confirmed it as a safety improvement. We can debate approaches and results (and hell, even motives if you really want), but it seems clear from both words and actions that Tesla takes safety extremely seriously. I don't see the connection between a short-seller April Fool's joke on Twitter and taking Autopilot safety seriously.

> They just issued a massive recall

Yes, voluntarily, for a component that Bosch makes (and for which Bosch is paying for replacements) which may be prone to corrode, and that has never caused a known accident or injury. While we debate the seriousness of this, Ford is recalling more cars than Tesla has ever produced because the steering wheels are falling off. This is barely a footnote within the industry, is certainly not an existential threat to Tesla, and IMO it speaks all the more to how seriously they take safety.

> their autopolit system is killing people

At worst, Autopilot is preventing more crashes than it is causing. Almost certainly saving more lives than it is taking although of course proving a negative is harder. One-off situations and the element of control color how we think about crashes with automated systems, but NHTSA seems to feel that Autopilot is a significant net safety improvement.

> their financials are terrible

Eh, yes and no. They're operating on a maximization function for growth, which requires a high degree of financial risk-taking. So sure, they're in a tight spot, but it's in line with where they are on a risk/reward spectrum, and while capital may be expensive for them if the market loses confidence, there doesn't appear to be any threat that they won't be able to raise it.

> and they haven't lived up to their manufacturing promises.

Yeah. This is probably the best, fairest, and most lasting criticism of Tesla. I hope they can turn that around.