The Top 10 Elon Musk Moments of 2016

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Published on December 28, 2016

While 2016 has been rough for celebrity deaths, it has been pretty great for Elon Musk. Between Tesla’s impressive self-driving technology, SpaceX’s lofty aspirations, and South Park’s barely insulting rendition of the innovator, Elon Musk is having a good year. And as 2016 comes to a close, it’s important to realize just how much this man has accomplished in 365 days.

Fortunately, you don’t have to do all the legwork on your own. We’re such big fans of Elon Musk at Tech.Co that we’ve picked through his many accomplishments and found our top 10. And of course, we’ve brought them to you via Musk’s favorite means of public communication: Twitter.

The Solar Roof

Perhaps one of the most interesting tech announcements of the year, Musk informed the public that his sustainable future goals are more lofty than anyone thought. He plans to develop roofs that are made out of texture glass that can accumulate enough solar power to keep your entire house lit up through the night.

The Powerwall 2.0

In addition to the solar roof announcement, Musk made environmentalists weep for joy by revealing an update to the Powerwall, Powerwall 2.0, allowing for twice as much energy to be stored at a much more affordable price.

Improved Auto-Pilot

It’s no secret that one of Musk’s biggest accomplishments is Tesla, a company developing self-driving, electric casr that could change the transportation industry forever. And in 2016, he was able to improve the auto-pilot function so much so that the car is currently making news for being able to avoid car accidents… from two cars away.

Launched OpenAI

While this innovative company was technically announced in the waning days of 2015, this non-profit artificial intelligence research company took form in 2016 in order to promote and develop friendly artificial intelligence in such a way as to benefit, rather than harm, humanity as a whole.

Humans Living on Mars

It’s no secret that Musk’s SpaceX aspirations involved getting the human race to Mars. But in 2016, he took this commitment to a whole new level, insisting that living on Mars is less of a science fiction dream and more of a futuristic reality.

Called Out Hyperloop Critics

Hyperloop technology has been deemed one of the most revolutionary attempts at disrupting the transportation industry in years. And while many are trying to burst through the market, critics continue to insist it’s impossible. Not if Elon has anything to say about it.

Added to Trump’s Economic Advisory Team

The presidential election did a lot to divide people on a wide range of issues. But even Donald Trump understands that Elon Musk is an invaluable mind in any regard, which is why he added him to the Strategic and Policy Forum along with Travis Kalanick, the CEO of Uber and Indra Nooyi, the CEO of Pepsi.

The Boring Company Takes on Traffic

Being an entrepreneur comes with a certain level of eccentricity. But sometimes, you just have to get stuff done. Musk vowed to solve the traffic problem in this country by simply digging tunnels underground. The name of the company that will take on this endeavor is… well, it’s not as exciting as SpaceX or Tesla, that’s for sure.

Falcon 9 Explosion

Success is a long and arduous process. Before you can succeed, you need to fail spectacularly. Fortunately, that’s exactly what Musk did in September with a Falcon 9 launch that was anything but successful. The rocket exploded on the launch pad, opening the door to a whole new approach to the process.

South Park Elon

Yes, South Park drew in an Elon Musk character in 2014. However, Musk became a “regular character” this season as Cartman attempted to leave planet Earth and head for Mars via SpaceX. While the show is infamously irreverent, Musk was portrayed in a surprisingly positive light. At least, compared to Barbara Streisand, that is.

Photo: Flickr / Haddad Media

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Written by:
Conor is the Lead Writer for Tech.co. For the last six years, he’s covered everything from tech news and product reviews to digital marketing trends and business tech innovations. He's written guest posts for the likes of Forbes, Chase, WeWork, and many others, covering tech trends, business resources, and everything in between. He's also participated in events for SXSW, Tech in Motion, and General Assembly, to name a few. He also cannot pronounce the word "colloquially" correctly. You can email Conor at conor@tech.co.
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