Tesla is making headlines again with the return of its Mad Max mode in Full Self-Driving (Supervised). This feature, designed to make the car drive more aggressively, has arrived just as the automaker faces new scrutiny from regulators and ongoing lawsuits from customers. 

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Mad Max Mode returns in Tesla’s latest FSD update

Tesla recently launched its FSD v14.1.2 update. The update follows last year’s major FSD v14 release, which introduced “Sloth Mode” for slower, more cautious driving. The latest update moves to the opposite end of the spectrum with Mad Max mode.

According to Tesla’s release notes, this profile allows higher speeds and more frequent lane changes than Hurry mode. The update has sparked mixed reactions. Some Tesla fans praise it for making driving feel more natural. Critics argue that it invites risky behavior at a time when regulators like the NHTSA and California DMV are already investigating Tesla’s advanced driver-assist systems.

TESLA’S SELF-DRIVING CARS UNDER FIRE AGAIN

A new Mad Max speed profile is now included in Tesla’s Full Self-Driving interface. (Tesla)

History of Tesla’s Mad Max mode since 2018

The Mad Max setting isn’t new. Tesla first introduced it in 2018 for the original Autopilot system. At the time, Elon Musk described it as ideal for handling aggressive city traffic. The name, borrowed from the post-apocalyptic movie series, immediately drew attention for its bold tone.

Now, the feature is back in Tesla’s latest FSD version. Within hours of release, drivers reported seeing cars equipped with Mad Max mode rolling stop signs and driving over the speed limit. These early reports highlight how the mode may behave more assertively than before.

Why Tesla brought back its Mad Max mode

Bringing back Mad Max mode may serve several purposes for Tesla. It helps demonstrate the company’s continuous development of FSD software while appealing to drivers who prefer faster, more decisive movement in traffic. It also acts as a signal that Tesla is still chasing the goal of Level 4 autonomy, even though its system remains classified as Level 2, requiring constant driver supervision.

Tesla owners can access Mad Max mode through the car’s settings under Speed Profiles.  (Chesnot/Getty Images)

For Tesla, this feature shows confidence in its progress. For observers, it raises concerns about timing. With multiple investigations and lawsuits in progress, many expected Tesla to focus on safety rather than on more aggressive driving profiles.

What this means for you

If you own a Tesla with Full Self-Driving (Supervised), you can access Mad Max mode through the car’s settings under Speed Profiles. This mode provides a more assertive driving experience that includes quicker acceleration, more lane changes, and less hesitation.

However, remember that Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system still requires active driver attention. You must keep your hands on the wheel and remain ready to take control at any moment. While the name suggests thrill and speed, safety and awareness should remain your top priority.

Tesla’s speed-profile menu includes the toggle options of Chill, Standard, Hurry, and Mad Max profiles to customize how aggressively their car responds in traffic.  (REUTERS/Mike Blake)

If you share the road with Teslas, it’s smart to stay alert. Vehicles using Mad Max mode may accelerate or change lanes more quickly than expected. Giving Teslas a little extra space can help reduce surprises and keep everyone safer on the road.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Tesla’s decision to reintroduce Mad Max mode is both strategic and provocative. It revives a feature from its early Autopilot days while reigniting debate over the balance between innovation and responsibility. The mode’s return reminds everyone that Tesla continues to test the limits of driver-assist technology and public tolerance for it.

Will Tesla’s revived Mad Max mode mark a bold step toward autonomy or a dangerous gamble in the race for self-driving dominance? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com

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It started with an urgent subject line: “Resolve Unusual Activity on Your American Express Account Now.” That is how one scam email tried to trick me into clicking a fake link that claimed to “verify account activity.” It looked official with logos, customer support tone and even a partial account number. But it was a phishing attempt, a common tactic used to steal personal and financial information.

Let’s look at what made this message suspicious and how you can protect yourself.

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HOW TO SPOT AND STOP AI PHISHING SCAMS

How the phishing email scam works

Phishing emails copy trusted companies to create panic and urgency. The goal is simple: get you to click. In this case, the email claimed my American Express account was “temporarily restricted” until I verified my identity.

A fake American Express email tried to steal personal data using urgent, fear-based language. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

A closer look revealed several red flags:

• The sender’s email was not from an official American Express domain.
• The “Click Here” button linked to a strange website.
• The message used fear-based language about account suspension.

Each of these clues points to a fake email designed to steal login details or credit card numbers.

SCAMMERS NOW IMPERSONATE COWORKERS, STEAL EMAIL THREADS IN CONVINCING PHISHING ATTACKS

Learn to spot red flags like strange email addresses and fake “verify account” requests. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

What to do if you receive a phishing email

If an email looks suspicious:

• Do not click any links.
• Check the sender’s address. Real companies use verified domains, not random ones.
• Go directly to the company website by typing the URL into your browser.
• Report the email. American Express asks customers to forward phishing messages to spoof@americanexpress.com.
• Delete the email right away.

These steps can protect you from identity theft and financial fraud.

PROTECT YOURSELF FROM SNEAKY WEB INJECTION SCAMS

Strong passwords, 2FA and data removal services help defend against digital scams. (Neil Godwin/Future via Getty Images)

10 tips to protect yourself from phishing emails

Phishing scams that mimic real companies like American Express can slip into your inbox looking almost legitimate. The best way to stay safe is to create strong digital habits that protect your information and your peace of mind. Here are the top ways to defend yourself against phishing threats and financial fraud.

1) Turn on two-factor authentication for financial accounts

Adding two-factor authentication (2FA) creates an extra layer of protection. Even if a scammer gets your password through a fake American Express email, they cannot access your account without your verification code. Most banks and credit card companies offer this free feature in their security settings. Enable it today and make your login stronger.

2) Consider using a data removal service

Data removal services help clean up your personal information from data broker websites that collect and sell your details to advertisers, marketers and even scammers. Reducing your digital footprint limits the amount of information that phishing attackers can use to make fake emails look convincing. In the case of fake American Express messages, less personal data online means fewer details criminals can use to target you directly.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

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3) Keep your browser and security software updated

Outdated browsers and antivirus programs leave gaps that scammers can exploit. Regular updates close those gaps and strengthen your defense against phishing links and malicious downloads. Set your software to update automatically so you are always protected when opening emails or clicking links.

4) Review account statements and transactions regularly

Make it a habit to log into your credit card accounts directly from the official website, not from email links. Scan your statements for unfamiliar transactions. Early detection helps you report fraud fast and recover funds before more damage is done.

5) Pause and verify before you click anything

Phishing emails thrive on urgency. Before clicking, take a deep breath and ask yourself: Does this message feel pressured or suspicious? Instead of clicking “verify now,” open a new browser tab and visit the official credit card website to check your account. This one simple pause can stop a scam in its tracks.

6) Use strong antivirus software

Good antivirus software not only blocks viruses but also warns you when a site or email is unsafe. Choose a program that includes phishing detection, real-time web protection and email scanning. These tools can automatically block fraudulent look-alike emails before you even open them.

The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

7) Use an identity monitoring service

Identity monitoring services keep watch over the dark web and alert you if your personal information, such as your email address, password, or credit card number, appears in stolen data. If scammers gain access to this information, they often use it to create realistic phishing attempts, like the fake American Express “account restricted” email. Early detection through identity monitoring allows you to take action, such as changing passwords, freezing credit, or alerting your bank before real damage occurs.

Identity Theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Security Number (SSN), phone number and email address, and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals.

See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com.

8) Learn to recognize official communications

Legitimate companies like American Express will never ask for full account numbers, passwords, or security codes by email. Familiarize yourself with how real messages from your bank look and sound. If something feels off, forward the message to the company’s official fraud department and delete it immediately.

9) Back up your important data securely

If a phishing attack installs malware on your computer, it can lock or delete files. Keep secure backups on an external drive or a trusted cloud service. That way, even if scammers target your system, you will not lose access to your information.

10) Trust your instincts

If an email feels wrong, it probably is. Your intuition is one of your strongest defenses against scams. Combine it with these habits to stay ahead of cybercriminals and keep your personal and financial information safe. 

Kurt’s key takeaways

Phishing scams are becoming more advanced, but your awareness is your best defense. When you know how to spot fake emails and stay calm under pressure, you protect both your money and your peace of mind. So next time you get an “urgent” message about your account, ask yourself: Would your bank really contact you this way?

Have you ever received a suspicious email like this? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Your phone is full of photos you’ve never posted, moments you meant to share but never got around to. That’s exactly what Facebook wants to change. It now uses Meta AI to spot hidden gems in your camera roll, polish them, and create simple collages you can share. You take the pictures, and Facebook helps turn them into easy, ready-to-share memories. No design skills required.

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Why Meta created this AI photo feature

Many people take photos but then don’t share them because they feel the image isn’t “post-worthy,” or they simply don’t have time to make it look good.  Meta’s logic: if those moments are sitting unseen in your phone, screenshots, receipts, random snaps, they might still matter to you. So the tool helps you rediscover and share them. From Meta’s perspective, this also fits its bigger push into artificial intelligence-driven features across its apps.

LEAKED META DOCUMENTS SHOW HOW AI CHATBOTS HANDLE CHILD EXPLOITATION

New AI tool scans your camera roll to find and polish images for quick sharing. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Behind the scenes, Meta AI analyzes photo details, like lighting, people and events, to group similar moments and create polished collage layouts automatically. It can suggest captions or filters, but users can edit or reject any suggestion before posting.

How to enable the Facebook AI feature

Here’s how to turn this feature on in Facebook (and how to disable it if you prefer).

• Open the Facebook app on your phone (iOS or Android).
• Tap your profile picture or the menu icon.
• Go to Settings & Privacy.
• Click Settings.

META STRENGTHENS TEEN SAFETY WITH EXPANDED ACCOUNTS

Meta aims to revive old memories with Facebook’s AI-powered collage creator. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

• Scroll to Preferences (or something similar) and find Camera Roll Sharing Suggestions and tap on it.
• Toggle on ‘Get creative ideas made for you by allowing camera roll cloud processing’ (or similar wording). You may be prompted to allow “cloud processing,” whereby Facebook uploads photos from your device to its servers so Meta AI can analyze them.

INSTAGRAM FRIEND MAP FEATURE SPARKS PRIVACY QUESTIONS

Users can now let Facebook’s AI curate camera roll highlights automatically. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

• Confirm the opt-in and accept any permission prompts. Once enabled, Meta claims that only you see suggestions, and you decide if you save or share them.

META DELETES 10 MILLION FACEBOOK ACCOUNTS THIS YEAR, BUT WHY?

Facebook rolls out AI photo suggestions to make sharing easier than ever. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

You’ll also receive optional notifications when new collage suggestions are ready, giving you the chance to preview and edit them before sharing.

Steps to disable or opt out

• Follow the same path: Facebook app → Settings & Privacy → Settings → Preferences → Camera Roll Sharing Suggestions.
• Toggle the feature off or disable “cloud processing.”
• For extra privacy, you can also revoke Facebook’s access to your camera roll in your phone’s OS settings.

If you’ve already uploaded photos for analysis, Meta says you can delete that data by turning off the feature and clearing saved files under “Your Facebook Information” in Settings.

What this means for you

Here’s how Facebook’s new AI photo feature could change the way you share, save and see your favorite moments online.

• More sharing without the effort. You capture the moment, Facebook helps polish it. The barrier of “this photo isn’t good enough” gets lowered.
• Greater visibility for memories. That vacation scrapbook photo or family snap buried in your camera roll might now get a second life.
• Full control remains. You decide whether to share the suggested edit or keep it private. Meta emphasizes that the suggestions are shown only to you unless you choose to share.
• Privacy considerations. Even though Meta says your photos won’t be used to train AI unless you edit or share them, they do get uploaded to Meta’s cloud when you opt in and may be stored for some time. Meta confirms that the uploaded photos aren’t used for ad targeting or facial recognition, but they may be stored temporarily for processing before being deleted.
• Limited rollout. At present, U.S. and Canada only; international users may need to wait.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

This move by Facebook addresses a common pain point (photos that don’t get shared) and leverages AI to make sharing more effortless. If you’re an active Facebook user who takes many photos and wants to share more of them, this feature could be a welcome boost. But if you’re cautious about how your private media may be handled, the opt-out path is important and worth using. Either way, it reflects how AI is quietly reshaping everyday apps.

Will you turn on Facebook’s AI-powered photo suggestion feature or keep your camera roll private just the way it is?  Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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