The mention doesn't come as a complete shock. Tesla frequently operates more like a tech company than an automaker, including its fondnesses for beta tests and constant lineup adjustments. All the same, it's clearer than ever that Tesla isn't about to settle into the familiar patterns of its conventional rivals. And that's both good and bad. It guarantees that you'll get cutting-edge tech whenever you buy, but it also means that your car could feel outdated in record time -- you may be hesitant to buy if you suspect that you'll miss out on a must-have feature. Still, we'll take that over the minor, iterative changes you see all too often in the automotive world.

@dtweiseth Tesla will never stop innovating. People are buying the wrong car if they expect this. There will be major revs every 12 to 18 months. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 22, 2017