Tesla released a major software update for the Cybertruck with version 2024.14.3 that introduces nine exclusive features, including locking differentials, Trail Assist, Off-Road Mode and many others that add completely new capabilities to the Cybertruck. Telsa also released a guide focused on the new off-roading capabilities of the Cybertruck and how to use each driving mode.
In the same update, the Cybertruck also received additional features that were previously available on other vehicles such as the Colorizer feature, Front Passenger Air Vent and Zoom.
In a video titled “Can The Tesla Cybertruck Really Off-Road?” (video below), the BBC publication TopGear tested the latest off-road software from Tesla in a Californian desert with a Rivian R1T as a benchmark.
New Accessories
TopGear also had access to new prototype Cybertruck accessories, including a Cybercooler and a CyberInflator that lets you adjust tire pressure. Tesla is also planning the launch of Cyberboxes that fit underneath the CyberTent case and safely slide in the bed rails, as shown in the video.
Cybertruck Update
Cybertruck’s Off-Road Mode improves its performance on challenging terrains such as gravel, deep snow, rock, and sand. “All Purpose” mode will automatically adjust the tire slip based on the amount of available traction.
The new CyberTent Mode levels the vehicle using the air suspension so that you get a perfectly flat sleeping surface. It also allows you to control features like lights, air conditioning, and outlets activated — if needed.
The Trail Assist helps maintain a set cruising speed so drivers can focus on steering. The feature works as both a hill ascent and descent control preventing the wheels from slipping, Tesla explained.
Wade Mode, which was previously available allows drivers to enter and drive through “shallow bodies of water, such as defined crossing points of rivers or creeks” whereas the new “Baja Mode” will improve the vehicle’s balance. The vehicle will also handle more freely when Stability Assist is set to Minimal.
The new update also increases the sensitivity of the Cybertruck’s frunk, so that it stops earlier when it meets resistance. The model saw also its turning circle improved by 1.6 feet, making parking and low-speed maneuvers easier.
The adaptive suspension of the Cybertruck was also upgraded with more accurate payload estimations and automatically adjusting damping to deliver a more comfortable ride and better handling.
Off-Road Guide
Cybertruck Off Road Mode
Not a Tesla App
The Off-Road Guide offers a comprehensive overview of Cybertruck features, detailing the various new driving modes and controls, including instructions on using Overland and Baja modes, adjusting ride height, and managing vehicle settings for different terrains.
Furthermore, the guide offers best practices for driving off-road, with tips on navigating various surfaces such as sand, mud, and rocks.
Tesla first started delivering Cybertrucks in November of last year. Despite some setbacks, Tesla continues to scale up the production of the Cybertruck at its Gigafactory in Austin, Texas.
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Tesla’s Giga Texas factory usually gives us the first site of Tesla’s upcoming products. We first saw the Cybertruck and Model Y castings here. With Giga Texas being one of Tesla’s largest factories, it’s logical that most products would originate here.
Tesla has also stated that it intends to manufacture the Cybercab, Semi, the next-generation vehicle, and Optimus at Giga Texas over the coming years. The affordable vehicle and Cybercab were originally intended to be manufactured at Giga Mexico, but the plans for that facility were waylaid by changes in economic policy.
Robotaxi Castings
These new castings were spotted by Joe Tegtmeyer, who regularly does drone flights of Giga Texas. Joe pointed out that these castings don’t look like the usual Model Y or Cybertruck castings usually seen outside Giga Texas.
With an eagle eye, @minusYCore on X also spotted some interesting text on the frames holding the castings up. In particular, the castings say “RTTX050” and “W68-RSF AS-CAST”. These could be interpreted as ‘Robotaxi Texas’ and ‘Rear SubFrame.’ The as-cast portion indicates that these particular castings haven’t been trimmed yet, according to the X user.
These castings are much flatter and appear to be a different size than the castings found elsewhere throughout Giga Texas, indicating that they are intended for a different product entirely.
It’s possible that these are the first castings used by Tesla to test their unboxed assembly process, which the Cybercab is expected to rely on. If you take a closer look at the video below, you’ll note that these new castings look very similar to the ones in the unboxed assembly video.
Interestingly, Tesla did say that they don’t intend to have the Cybercab available for customers before late 2026 or early 2027, but we’ll likely hear updated timelines as Tesla’s Q1 2025 Earnings Call tomorrow.
A more vertical look at the castings.
@JoeTegtmeyer
New Giga Presses
To top it all off, new parts for a Giga Press - the machine Tesla uses to make these castings - were also sighted in Texas. These machines are few and far between, and each one is highly specialized for the particular vehicle it produces. Seeing new parts coming in usually indicates that a new assembly line is under construction, or that changes are being made to an existing line to either expand it or update it.
There’s a lot happening and we will hopefully know more tomorrow evening.
Tesla’s first large-scale partner for the Tesla Semi - PepsiCo - is building out another Semi Megacharger site per a recent filing found by MarcoRP. Building out these Semi charging sites is expensive due to their much higher power output when compared to Superchargers.
Name Change
Interestingly enough, Tesla appears to have shifted its terminology recently, now often referring to the Semi’s high-power charging solution as Tesla Semi Chargers instead of the previously common "Megachargers." Regardless of the name, these chargers are crucial for the Semi. They’re designed to deliver 1.2 megawatts of charging power capable of adding hundreds of miles of range in roughly 30 minutes.
Frito-Lay Site
The new site detailed in the recent filing will be located at a Frito-Lay production plant on Hageman Road in Bakersfield, California. Permits were filed just a couple of days ago for the installation of eight Tesla Semi Charger stalls along with their associated electrical equipment.
This facility adds to PepsiCo's existing network of chargers, supporting the Tesla Semis operating out of their Sacramento facility, and highlights Bakersfield as the next expansion of the Semi’s operational area. Notably, this new Frito-Lay charging site is strategically located just five miles (approx. 8 km) away from a massive future public charging complex Tesla is planning on Kelton Way.
Kelton Way Charging Complex
Tesla’s planned charging complex in Bakersfield, which is just down the road, will feature 72 Supercharger stalls, as well as 18 Semi charger stalls. According to pre-permits filed last month, this site will be fairly large and accessible to both the public and Tesla’s partners.
A rendering of the Kelton Way site - with the Semi Chargers on the outside, and the Covered Supercharger site in the center.
@MarcoRPi1 on X
Tesla plans to develop a vacant plot right off the interstate into a large charging hub, which is now the second major public Semi Charger site we’ve heard about. For now, these sites will remain rare, but we expect that Tesla and its partners will be happy to expand them out further as required.
Carson Semi Charger Site
These Bakersfield developments – both the private Frito-Lay site and the large public Kelton Way hub will help lay out the necssary infrastructure for the Tesla Semi, much like the early days of Tesla’s Superchargers. Since Semi cannot be charged at a Supercharger site (the MCS plug is notably different than NACS), these sites are a must-have.
Tesla's first publicly accessible Semi Charger site planned near the Port of Long Beach in Carson, California, was one of the first signs of these types of Semi Charger facilities being established - and like Kelton Way, it also includes amenities for truck drivers. Tesla is also considering what long, medium, and short-haul truckers need for their stays at these sites.
As Tesla works to ramp up production of the Semi itself, the parallel expansion of dedicated, high-power charging infrastructure by both Tesla and its key partners are essential to making electric heavy-duty trucking a reality.