Cybertruck: Driving & Lights

We touch the temperature icon on the touchscreen to open the climate controls, then touch the steering wheel icon to turn the heater on. To turn it off, we use the same climate controls or the Tesla mobile app. Tesla cautions against getting hand sanitizer, lotion, sunscreen or similar products on the steering wheel, and warns never to adjust the steering wheel position while driving.

Left scroll button: we roll it for volume, press it left or right to skip tracks or stations, press it to mute or pause, and use it to answer or end calls; it also moves the mirrors during mirror adjustment. Right scroll button: we press it while driving to engage Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, or Full Self-Driving (Supervised) if enabled, then roll it to change set speed or press it left or right to change following distance.

We turn Auto High Beam on or off in Controls > Lights > Auto High Beam, and it stays as set. It switches to low beam when it detects light ahead, such as an oncoming car, and turns on automatically with Full Self-Driving (Supervised). To flash the headlights, we press and quickly release the headlights button on the left of the steering wheel. Tesla warns Auto High Beam has limits, so we make sure our lights suit the conditions.

We touch Controls > Lights > Headlights After Exit. When it is on, the exterior lights stay on for one minute after we park in low light, or until we lock the Cybertruck, whichever comes first. When it is off, the headlights turn off as soon as we shift into Park and open a door. Tesla also cautions us to keep the headlights and tail lights on in darkness, fog, snow or on wet roads.

We press the wiper button on the steering wheel to open the wiper menu, then roll the left scroll button to choose Auto. The Cybertruck then detects rain and sets the wiping speed itself. Tesla calls Auto a BETA feature and recommends manual speeds when unsure; Self-Driving features also switch the wipers to Auto. Tesla cautions not to leave Auto on while washing the vehicle, and to clear ice from the windshield before using the wipers.

Slippery Surface helps maximize traction and stability on rain, snow or ice. We turn it on in Controls > Dynamics > Slippery Surface, and the touchscreen shows an alert while it is enabled. Even with it off, the Cybertruck detects the road surface and adapts traction control on its own. Tesla warns that traction control cannot prevent collisions caused by dangerous driving or sharp turns at high speed.

Usually we just shift into Park and get out; leaving with a phone key powers the Cybertruck off automatically. It also powers off by itself after 30 minutes in Park, even with someone in the driver seat. To power off manually while stopped and seated, we touch Controls > Safety > Power Off. The Cybertruck wakes again when we press the brake pedal or open the driver door.

We use a power cycle for unusual behavior or a vague alert. 1) Shift into Park. 2) Touch Controls > Safety > Power Off. 3) Wait at least two minutes without touching anything: no doors, no brake pedal and no screen. 4) Open a door to wake the Cybertruck. If the touchscreen is frozen, Tesla says to restart the touchscreen first.

It means the Cybertruck does not detect a key when we press the brake. This happens when the phone key is not found, for example because of a low or dead phone battery, or when two minutes have passed since we last used the key card. We place the key card on either phone dock so it can be read, which restarts the two-minute window, then press the brake to drive.

With the brake pressed, the drive mode strip appears on the driver side of the touchscreen. We swipe up for Drive, down for Reverse, or press the strip for Park. Switching between Drive and Reverse needs a speed below 5 mph (8 km/h). If the touchscreen is unavailable, the overhead console has backup P, R, N and D buttons; we activate it by briefly pressing both steering wheel scroll buttons together.

Auto Shift from Park is a BETA feature, off by default, that lets the Cybertruck choose Drive or Reverse by itself. We turn it on in Controls > Dynamics > Auto Shift from Park. It shows its choice once the driver door is closed and the seat belt is buckled; we press the brake and use the touchscreen strip to override. Tesla warns never to rely on it without confirming the selection first.

The Cybertruck uses cameras on the front, rear and sides to show nearby objects on the touchscreen while we drive slowly, yellow when farther and red when closer. The view opens when we shift into Reverse. We turn the beeps on or off in Controls > Safety > Park Assist Chimes. Tesla warns it may miss objects lower than about 8 in (20 cm), children or animals, so we always check around us ourselves.

Vehicle Hold engages automatically whenever the Cybertruck comes to a complete stop, keeping the brakes on after we lift our foot; an H in a circle shows on the touchscreen. We release it by pressing the accelerator or brake pedal, or by shifting into Neutral. After about ten minutes of holding, the Cybertruck shifts into Park and applies the parking brake. It also shifts into Park if it detects the driver has left.

We touch Controls > Dynamics. In the Custom drive mode we set Acceleration to Chill, which limits acceleration for a smoother, gentler ride and shows Chill above the driving speed, or to Standard for normal acceleration. The Comfort and Sport drive modes set acceleration for us. On vehicles equipped with Beast, we select it and follow the on-screen prompts to get extra performance and acceleration.

Easy Entry moves the steering wheel and driver seat to make getting in and out easier. We tick Use Easy Entry when adding a driver profile in Controls > Profiles > Add New Driver, or check it on our profile. In Park with the driver belt unbuckled, the seat and wheel move automatically, and pressing the brake restores our settings. Tesla warns not to use it to move the seat fully back when a child seat is behind it.

In Park, we touch Controls > Safety > Valet Mode and set a 4-digit PIN the first time; to cancel, we touch the Valet Mode profile icon and enter the PIN. Valet Mode limits speed to 70 mph (113 km/h) and reduces power, locks the frunk and glovebox, hides Home and Work, and turns off voice commands and Self-Driving features. A key card is needed to drive. Tesla warns not to use it when towing a trailer.

Whenever we lift off the accelerator, regenerative braking slows the Cybertruck and sends power back to the Battery; strong regen also turns on the brake lights. It is limited when the Battery is cold or fully charged. To keep slowing consistent, we turn on Controls > Dynamics > Apply Brakes When Regenerative Braking is Limited. Tesla warns traction can be lost during regen on snow or ice, and suggests using the brake pedal regularly so the discs do not rust.

That is the Pedestrian Warning System. Electric vehicles are quiet, so the Cybertruck plays a sound below about 25 mph (40 km/h) and whenever it is in Reverse, so people nearby can hear it coming. It starts when we shift out of Park and gets louder as speed rises. Tesla warns not to rely on it alone to alert pedestrians, and to schedule service if it stops working.

We open Controls and press and hold the Neutral icon until it engages, or press N on the overhead console. In Neutral the Cybertruck rolls freely unless we press the brake. Opening the driver door normally shifts it into Park. To keep it in Neutral for towing, we shift into Park, press the brake, touch Controls > Service > Towing, read the instructions and touch Enter Tow Mode.

Brake disc wiping turns on by itself in cold or wet weather, so we do not need to switch it on. The Cybertruck repeatedly applies a tiny, unnoticeable amount of brake force to clear water from the brake discs. Tesla warns that brake disc wiping is not a substitute for properly applying the brakes, so we still brake normally whenever we need to slow down or stop.

We see trip information on the Cards area of the touchscreen, or in App Launcher > Energy App > Trips. Trips show distance, duration, and total and average energy use since the last charge, for the current drive and any trips we add. We tap a trip to see details or change it, and drag trips to reorder them. The odometer is in Controls > Software, on the Trips card, or at the bottom of the Tesla app main screen.

The Cybertruck has no mechanical link between the steering wheel and the wheels. Sensors in the steering column send signals electronically to the steering racks, and all four wheels respond, giving more responsive steering with less effort and a tighter turning radius. If the system detects a problem, an alert and chime appear and drive torque is gradually reduced while we pull over; Tesla says this does not mean steering is lost. Once stopped, we try a power cycle.

With adaptive air suspension, we touch Controls and pick a ride height, tap Ride Height on the vehicle image when parked, or use the Tesla app. Compared with Medium, High is +2.4 in (6 cm), Low is -1.6 in (4 cm) and Entry is -2.2 in (5.5 cm). High and Low return to our preferred height at 25 mph (40 km/h). Tesla says to check for obstacles above and below first.

Overland maximizes low-speed traction, with surface options such as Sand or Rock. Rally tunes the Cybertruck for dynamic driving, with handling balance and Stability Assist options. Wade Mode, if equipped, is for shallow water up to about 32 in (815 mm) deep at 1-3 mph (2-5 km/h), for 30 minutes at most. Trail Assist, in Overland only, holds a set speed of 1-25 mph (2-40 km/h). Tesla says water damage is not covered by warranty.

We open the Off-Road app from the app tray, read the popup and touch Confirm; modes change only in Park. Before going, we check maps, weather and range, buckle everyone in, secure cargo, spread weight across both axles, and remove the front wheel fairings and wheel covers. We may lower tire pressures for sand or rocks, then refill before public roads. Tesla warns off-road damage is not covered by the warranty.

In Controls > Dynamics we choose a drive mode: Comfort, Sport or Custom. Comfort and Sport set Acceleration, Ride & Handling and Preferred Ride Height (if equipped) for us, while Custom lets us set them ourselves. Ride & Handling is Relaxed for comfort on rough roads, or Focused for more responsive handling. Some vehicles also have Beast. Tesla cautions never to use the off-road locking differentials on high-traction surfaces like asphalt.

Off-road, rear lockers help on climbs or level ground; front lockers help rock crawling. On the road, we use them only briefly on loose ground, like leaving a snow bank, up to 35 mph (56 km/h), via Controls > Dynamics > Engage Rear Locking Differential (not on Cyberbeast). In the Off-Road app, the All-Wheel Drive version offers All On, Rear Only or Off, and Cyberbeast offers Front Only or Off. Tesla cautions never to use them on asphalt.

In Controls > Mirrors we can turn on Mirror Auto Fold (folds when we exit and lock, unfolds when we unlock), Mirror Auto Dim (side mirrors dim in low light or night glare) and Mirror Auto Tilt (mirrors tilt down in Reverse; Adjust Tilted Position, then Save, sets the angle). Mirrors cannot fold above 31 mph (50 km/h). Tesla suggests turning off Auto Fold if ice may form while parked, because ice can stop the mirrors folding.