Photo: Lucky's Fab Shop via YouTube
A Tesla Cybertruck owner shared a video online showing how his quick reaction and the Cybertruck's impressive stability and steer-by-wire system saved him from a near-crash. The owner says he turned the wheel almost all the way and missed the oncoming vehicle by just a few millimeters.
While many consider the Tesla Cybertruck to be the safest vehicle money can buy, the reality is that the electric pickup isn’t much better when it comes to an accident. We’ve already seen what an accident can do to the Cybertruck, and that survival isn’t always guaranteed. However, we have to give credit where credit is due and admit that the Cybertruck has impressive safety features, at least compared to other pickups on the market.
This was illustrated in a recent video shared by a Cybertruck owner, who credits the truck’s low-latency steer-by-wire system with saving his life. In the video extracted from the vehicle’s cameras, what appears to be a Ford Focus can be seen being hit hard from behind by a Dodge Journey. The Ford is pushed toward the oncoming Cybertruck, whose driver barely has time to react.
Its quick reaction and low-latency steer-by-wire system helped avoid a near-certain crash, with the Ford Focus passing within millimeters of the Cybertruck’s rear wheel. This will surely silence those who claim that the Cybertruck’s steer-by-wire system has a significant delay and will be dangerous in a situation like this, when reaction time is crucial.
In a previous video comparing the Cybertruck's steering system to the Ford F-150 Lightning's, the Cybertruck appeared to show the steering actuator lagging behind the steering wheel input. However, this was only because the Cybertruck can turn the steering wheel much faster than the Lightning. With all the lag visible, the Cybertruck could turn its wheels from lock to lock in 0.67 seconds, compared to 1.67 seconds for the F-150 Lightning.
The Cybertruck owner, who also drives a Ram, credits the Cybertruck’s advanced steering system with saving his life. In the Ram, he was certain to oversteer, spin, ditch, or roll over after turning the wheel. Not to mention, he wouldn’t have been able to get to full lock as quickly to avoid the flying Ford Focus.
The Cybertruck was stable, even after such a violent evasive maneuver, and maintained its direction, saving the day. This is even more impressive than the quick reaction of the driver and the response of the Cybertruck’s steering system. With most vehicles, this would have resulted in a loss of control, but the Cybertruck seemed unfazed by the sudden shift in weight.
Fortunately, the accident did not cause serious injuries to either of the two involved, as confirmed by the owner of the Cybertruck. As you can imagine, they were all shaken up, but they will surely recover. This is another moment to take into account for the driver of the Dodge Journey, who was clearly distracted and only saw the Ford in front of him at the last moment.
