Have you ever hopped into your Cybertruck, admired the perfectly straight wiper, and then hit highway speeds—only to notice it shift slightly to the side? Did you wonder if it was loose or even considered reaching out to Tesla Service for a potential motor replacement?
Turns out that it’s not loose at all. In fact, it’s yet another clever aerodynamic trick the Cybertruck employs at higher speeds to boost efficiency. Let’s take a closer look at how it works.
Aero Mode Wiper
Matt Wallace over on X spoke to Wes Morril - Tesla’s Cybertruck Lead Engineer - who revealed some clever engineering Tesla built into the Cybertruck’s massive wiper. At higher speeds - roughly around 45 mph (75 km/h), the Cybertruck will move its wiper about an inch or two inwards. This movement inward optimizes the aerodynamic profile of the trick.
While Wes didn’t mention just how much of an efficiency boost it provides - we image it to be in the range of 1-2% - not negligible, but not much either. However, when traveling longer distances at highway speeds, that 1-2% can add up quickly.
If you’re going 500 miles, that adds up to an additional 5-10 miles. While it doesn’t seem like a lot, imagine that stretched across an average year of driving - 15,000 mi. That’s an annual savings of anywhere from 150 mi to 300 mi, which is pretty much an entire charging stop.
Wiper Down
Here’s another feature that non-Cybertruck owners may not have known. The Cybertruck’s massive wiper actually stays down after wiping some times to ensure that the water that’s been pushed down gets pushed away from the windshield and doesn’t come back up. This is generally done when the wiper is either on Auto, or at a low intermittent speed.
From personal experience, this little technique does a fantastic job of ensuring that the windshield remains clear, but just like the Aero Mode, it can be a little bit odd seeing the wiper down until you understand why.
Cybertruck has plenty of unique tricks up its stainless steel sleeves, and we’re excited to hear about more of them as they’re uncovered. However, Tesla, we would love it if you put some of these tips and tricks into the Owner’s Manual. It would save a lot of hassle and prevent vehicle owners from putting undue stress on the already hard-working Service Centers.
Ordering a New Tesla?
Consider using our referral code (nuno84363) to get up to $2,000 off your new Tesla and get 3 Months of FSD for free.
As part of the 2024 Tesla Holiday Update, Tesla hacker Greentheonly, has once again uncovered features that are coming in a future software update. Green regularly decompiles Tesla’s software updates and is able to see features that have yet to see the light of day. These features are in production code, but sometimes have only been partially developed or are being tested or waiting to be turned on remotely. Either way, it gives us an early look at features that are likely to be released in the coming months.
Recently Green spotted two new features, Trailer Profiles and new navigation routing options.
Trailer Profiles
According to Green, the new Trailer Profiles feature is expected to let you record your trailer mileage and select whether it’s an open or closed trailer. You’ll have the ability to keep track of up to 20 trailer profiles, letting you use various trailers without resetting your settings. This should let the vehicle give you more accurate range estimates, as the vehicle will be able to track your previous energy consumption when you used your trailer previously.
By creating multiple profiles, you can even account for different load types, such as transporting a car, boat, or lumbar.
This feature is expected to be available to all vehicles equipped with a tow hitch. Tow hitches are included on the Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck and as an option for the Model Y and some Model 3s.
Trailers normally have no way to record mileage, so this could be an extremely useful tool for owners to be able to see how much a trailer has been used. This could help indicate when new tires, new trailer brakes, or other relevant service may be required.
Prioritize Highways / Avoid Highways?
Navigation routing is expected to receive two additional preferences. The first one is “Prioritize Highways” - which, like its name, will likely prioritize the usage of highways whenever possible.
This is an interesting feature, as most people have been asking for the opposite - Avoid Highways, which Elon previously promised would make its way to Tesla vehicles soon. It’s not clear whether this is Tesla’s interpretation of an Avoid Highways option, where disabling this feature will try to avoid highways and prioritize backroad use.
Prioritize Time
The second feature is “Prioritize Time”. This one is interesting, as it likely will provide the option for drivers to have an optimized route for charging/efficiency, and a route that is more focused on spending less time on the road at the cost of using more energy.
While Tesla leverages Google’s API for features such as Points of Interest, reviews, photos, map tiles and satellite imagery, Tesla determines the vehicle’s route themselves. This lets them prioritize efficiency and calculate charging stops.
Alongside the arrival of FSD’s new Hurry Mode, this is going to give users more flexibility when driving.
When Do They Arrive?
These features aren’t available just yet, but their inclusion in production code likely points to them launching soon. However, the features could be in varying degrees of completion, from active development to dev complete and simply awaiting for Tesla to enable them remotely.
It’s possible we’ll see one or more of these features activated in the next couple of months.
Tesla’s Santa Mode is one of the earliest Tesla Easter Eggs, and with the 2024 Holiday Update, the Cybertruck gets its own customized version of Santa Mode. While Santa Mode already has its own set of unique assets and animations, Tesla’s team went all out with the special Cybertruck version.
Cybersled
When you enable Santa Mode on the Cybertruck, you won’t get the classic-looking Tesla sleigh with Santa behind the reigns.
Instead, Santa’s been replaced by Santa Optimus, who’s doing all the chores from now on. Optimus is steering the Cybersled, and his trusty steeds, this time, are Cyber Reindeer with their own slick-looking goggles. The Cybersled has also been upgraded with some fancy levitating technology.
Turn Signals
While the reindeer’s harnesses will light up when you turn on your turn signal, Tesla also added a unique feature to the Cybertruck version. When you turn on your blinker, Optimus will actually stick out his arm and look in that direction. It’s a nice little touch that makes the whole thing come to life. You can check it out in the video below:
In the Cybertruck Holiday update Optimus will turn its head and point left or right with its hands when you initiate a turn signal. Cool little details @Teslapic.twitter.com/ntxMFXjBtK
Cybertruck’s Santa Mode otherwise has all the features of regular Santa Mode on other vehicles, including snowy roads and falling snow. The assets for people and other vehicles are also the same, with them being replaced by elves and reindeer, respectively.
Santa Mode Lighting
The Cybertruck, just like the 2024+ Model 3, features ambient lighting on the interior. When you activate Santa Mode, your Cybertruck’s ambient lighting will cycle between Red, Green, and White, fitting the Christmas theme quite well.
How to Activate It
Santa Mode can be activated year-round and isn’t limited to the holiday season. You can activate it via the Toybox menu or using a voice command.
Voice Commands
The first voice command is “Ho Ho Ho”. Just simply say that - and the Run Rudolph Run song will chime on for a single cycle, and you can go spread some Cyber Christmas Cheer.
The second voice command is “Ho Ho Ho, not funny.” That one is a variation of Santa Mode, and Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer will be played instead.
ToyBox
The third way to activate Santa Mode is to head over to the ToyBox app in your Tesla. You can then tap on the Santa Mode panel and turn it on by enabling ‘Jingle All the Way.’ That’s the equivalent of running the “Ho Ho Ho” voice command, so you’ll hear Run Rudolph Run cycle through once upon touching the button. Unfortunately, it’s rather loud, and you can’t control the volume, so you’ll need to wait for it to finish playing or turn off Santa Mode completely.
Spread Cheer
You can also spread some cheer with your Cybertruck. You’ll need to be in Park before enabling this option. It will play the Santa Mode music you’ve selected through the vehicle’s external speaker known as the Pedestrian Warning Speaker (PWS). You’ll need to toggle on Spread Cheer before enabling Santa Mode, as the song stops after its first cycle. Due to updated NHTSA regulations, Spread Cheer no longer works while driving.
If you’d like to see all the features of Santa Mode on other Teslas, be sure to check out our regular Santa Mode guide.
![Elon talks about Twitter and job cuts at Bloomberg forum [video]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/images/news/2022/elon-musk-qatar-forum_300w.jpg)
