Photo: Tesla
Tesla Cybertruck still hides many secrets even two weeks after deliveries began. As Tesla published the Cybertruck's parts catalog, some of its secrets came to light. Among them was the fact that the electric pickup truck doesn't have a front radar sensor like the refreshed Model S and Model X do.
The Cybertruck continues to keep Tesla fans busy, with discoveries and revelations making the headlines even two weeks after the deliveries officially began. With more than one million reservations, according to Elon Musk, the Cybertruck is easily the most anticipated car model in recent history. This explains why the interest remains high, although it doesn't explain why Tesla doesn't offer the Cybertruck's technical data for everyone to see.
Instead, Tesla raises one corner of the cover at a time, barely enough to stir speculations but not sufficient to reveal everything. This can be good, timing the information to keep the Cybertruck in the headlines for longer. But it can also backfire, fueling critics who think Tesla has something to hide. One good example is the talks around Cybertruck's safety. Only after people bashed the almost non-existent crumple zones of the Cybertruck did Tesla explain the design choice.
The Cybertruck manufacturer said, "It's not about the size of your crumple zone, it's about how you use it," an expression with questionable connotations. Regardless, Tesla designed the front underbody megacasting to break into small pieces to absorb and disperse the energy of impact. But it doesn't matter because the bus has already left the station, and the public discourse has already been set. The general public already considers the Cybertruck unsafe, and it would take an official safety rating to change that perception. Unfortunately, this is not going to happen soon, as I've already explained.
Now, there's another Cybertruck detail that Tesla never talked about, and it's coming to light after Tesla published the parts catalog online. Specifically, it doesn't mention a front radar sensor, only a cabin radar. This makes the Model S and Model X the only current Tesla models shipping with a radar sensor as part of the Hardware 4 sensor suite. It's still unclear whether the Model S/X uses the sensor for Autopilot/FSD functions or it's there just to collect data, if at all. However, the fact that it's missing entirely on the Cybertruck rules out that Tesla might reconsider the radar sensor.
The EV maker gave up on the radar sensors in 2021 when it started the transition to Tesla Vision. Earlier this year, it physically disconnected the radar sensors on vehicles that still had them. The official reasoning was that the radar sensor does not provide enough resolution to be helpful, and it introduces more noise into the system. Elon Musk said that he would consider a high-definition radar when it becomes available.
Many thought the radar sensor on the refreshed Model S/X was high-definition, but it was later proved that was not the case. This might explain why Tesla decided to forgo a radar sensor for the Cybertruck. It installed a front camera instead, which should provide more accuracy to parking assistance systems. According to the Cybertruck parts catalog, the additional camera is also heated to melt ice and snow in the winter, besides having a spray nozzle to keep it clean.
While the Cybertruck doesn't have a front radar sensor, it does come with a cabin radar. This can be used for the driver monitoring system and also to detect if a child or pet is left in the vehicle. It can provide information not only on whether the driver is paying attention to the road but also on their health condition, including breath and heart rate. So far, we have no information about what features the cabin radar might provide.
Instead, Tesla raises one corner of the cover at a time, barely enough to stir speculations but not sufficient to reveal everything. This can be good, timing the information to keep the Cybertruck in the headlines for longer. But it can also backfire, fueling critics who think Tesla has something to hide. One good example is the talks around Cybertruck's safety. Only after people bashed the almost non-existent crumple zones of the Cybertruck did Tesla explain the design choice.
The Cybertruck manufacturer said, "It's not about the size of your crumple zone, it's about how you use it," an expression with questionable connotations. Regardless, Tesla designed the front underbody megacasting to break into small pieces to absorb and disperse the energy of impact. But it doesn't matter because the bus has already left the station, and the public discourse has already been set. The general public already considers the Cybertruck unsafe, and it would take an official safety rating to change that perception. Unfortunately, this is not going to happen soon, as I've already explained.
Now, there's another Cybertruck detail that Tesla never talked about, and it's coming to light after Tesla published the parts catalog online. Specifically, it doesn't mention a front radar sensor, only a cabin radar. This makes the Model S and Model X the only current Tesla models shipping with a radar sensor as part of the Hardware 4 sensor suite. It's still unclear whether the Model S/X uses the sensor for Autopilot/FSD functions or it's there just to collect data, if at all. However, the fact that it's missing entirely on the Cybertruck rules out that Tesla might reconsider the radar sensor.
The EV maker gave up on the radar sensors in 2021 when it started the transition to Tesla Vision. Earlier this year, it physically disconnected the radar sensors on vehicles that still had them. The official reasoning was that the radar sensor does not provide enough resolution to be helpful, and it introduces more noise into the system. Elon Musk said that he would consider a high-definition radar when it becomes available.
Many thought the radar sensor on the refreshed Model S/X was high-definition, but it was later proved that was not the case. This might explain why Tesla decided to forgo a radar sensor for the Cybertruck. It installed a front camera instead, which should provide more accuracy to parking assistance systems. According to the Cybertruck parts catalog, the additional camera is also heated to melt ice and snow in the winter, besides having a spray nozzle to keep it clean.
While the Cybertruck doesn't have a front radar sensor, it does come with a cabin radar. This can be used for the driver monitoring system and also to detect if a child or pet is left in the vehicle. It can provide information not only on whether the driver is paying attention to the road but also on their health condition, including breath and heart rate. So far, we have no information about what features the cabin radar might provide.
NEWS: Tesla has publicly released the full Cybertruck parts catalog.
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) December 13, 2023
Catalog: https://t.co/TP5CfnUiAW pic.twitter.com/SvM0PO1WAW
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