Teslas and video games – the two types of products that get significant updates after you buy them. You could call it a problem and say the companies sell incomplete products. Or you could say it’s fun to buy something and later watch it get better.
Tesla has pushed out a long-promised major software update adding new off-road features to its Cybertruck electric pickup. The updates include two new off-road modes – Baja and Overland – and the ability to engage the locking differential owners were promised.
Tesla says Baja mode improves vehicle balance so the truck “handles more freely when Stability Assist is set to Minimal.” That mimics the sand modes of other off-road vehicles.
Overland mode creates “better overall traction while driving on rock, gravel, deep snow, or sand.”
A differential is a system that allows the driven wheels of a car to turn at different speeds. With an unlocked differential, torque takes the path of least resistance. That’s not helpful in some off-road situations – it can send most power to the wheel on an axle with the least traction.
A locking differential solves that problem, sending torque to both wheels on an axle. That helps a truck escape situations where one wheel has no traction.
The update gives owners of dual-motor Cybertrucks the ability to lock differentials on both axles. Tri-motor “Cyberbeast” versions get one on the front axle. The rear already has a “virtual locked differential” because each wheel has a separate motor.
Other updates include an off-road cruise control that “helps maintain a set cruising speed so you can focus on steering” on the trail.
The updates should make the Cybertruck a significantly better off-roader. But we should also note that many viral videos shared on social media showing the trucks stuck in off-road situations may be more about driver inexperience than the Cybertruck’s capabilities.
Many show rookie mistakes like off-roading on fully inflated tires (most experienced off-roaders air tires down when they hit the trail).
The truck may be more effective off-road than social media can lead you to believe. But the update should help.
