Tesla Cybertruck Spotted Featuring Advanced Rooftop Sensor Suite

Tesla’s highly anticipated Cybertruck has been recently seen sporting a state-of-the-art rooftop sensor suite, catching the eyes of many onlookers. This setup appears similar to the sensor arrays seen on other Tesla models, such as the Tesla Semi, which predominantly include LiDAR sensors.

The Sighting in San Jose

Photos of the Cybertruck equipped with these advanced sensors have surfaced on social media platform X, showcasing a Release Candidate (RC) unit. Interestingly, although the vehicle was spotted in San Jose, California, it bore Texas license plates.

Unique Sensor Placement

The configuration of the sensor suite on the Cybertruck deviates from the norm. Unlike other Tesla models like the Model Y and Model X, where sensors are compactly placed on the roof, the Cybertruck features a more extensive setup. The sensors on the Cybertruck extend beyond the roof and reach into the truck bed.

Social Media Buzz

A user by the name of Frej Koch-Mathews shared images of the unique setup on their X account, noting:

“Found a RC Cybertruck at my local Whole Foods in San Jose with additional hardware.”

Another user, Stephen Clonts, mentioned an encounter with a similarly equipped Cybertruck and commented:

“Spotted a Cybertruck with Luminar lidar and GPS sensors today (6/7/24).”

Purpose Behind the Tech

Tesla’s utilization of test vehicles equipped with LiDAR sensors is a known practice used primarily to gather data for validating the company’s camera system and advancing Full Self-Driving (FSD) capabilities. This approach has sparked debates due to Elon Musk’s prior public dismissals of LiDAR as a practical solution for mass-produced vehicles.

Tesla’s patents explain that auxiliary sensors, such as LiDAR, are instrumental in collecting training data. This data is then used to train the machine learning models designed for refining autonomous driving functions.

A Work in Progress

Despite deliveries of the Cybertruck to customers starting in late 2023, the model surprisingly lacks functionalities like Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) — features that are standard even in the budget-friendly Model 3. This absence creates a unique scenario for Cybertruck owners who are driving a tech-packed truck that still misses these notable features.

Conclusion

The latest sightings of the Tesla Cybertruck emphasize the continuous evolution and testing of Tesla’s autonomous driving technology. While the Cybertruck showcases remarkable advancements like steer-by-wire, it remains a work in progress regarding its autonomous capabilities. Tesla’s approach to using supplementary sensors like LiDAR for data gathering ensures that the final product will likely meet or exceed the high expectations surrounding full autonomy.

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William Kouch, Editor of Electric Vehicles for automotive.fyi