Government Agency Comments on Tesla Cybertruck Snow Issue
Do you recall that clip of a Tesla Cybertruck trapped in the snow at California’s Stanislaus National Woodland from last week? Two Ford pickup trucks were employed to get the electric vehicle back on the track and the video quickly turned viral. It actually gained such publicity, the U.S. Forestry Department has proposed to Tesla that they ought to assemble to devise an educational program for inexperienced off-road drivers to prevent dilemmas similar to this in the future.
“In a statement, Stanislaus National Forest Supervisor Jason Kuiken expressed his belief that had the driver of the Cybertruck been better informed of the topographical features indicated on the maps, adhered to the Leave No Trace principles, and been more prepared, this incident could have been avoided and could have provided educational opportunities to many new off-roaders,” Kuiken said.
Kuiken anticipates that the Cybertruck will draw in a new wave of off-roaders, but these folks may not be aware of the right trail etiquette. “We would like to ask the executives of Tesla Motors to join us in creating an instructional program for new Cybertruck owners,” he suggested.
On the 13.9-mile-long Corral Hollow OHV Trail, an incident occurred. Alltrails.com describes it as a “moderately challenging route”. During the summertime, this trail is usually dry and dusty, however, it may be closed due to snowfall during the winter months.
It is still unclear how the Cybertruck ended up so far away from the trail. The individual who posted the videos and photo of the event said they were unsure. According to a statement from the US Forestry Service, the pickup “apparently lost traction and slid down an embankment.”
Regardless of how the Tesla ended up in this situation, the driver was unable to get the Cybertruck back onto the trail. The videos showed the tires spinning and snow and dirt being kicked up. The “RC” on the side of the vehicle indicates that it was a pre-production Release Candidate, rather than a regular production Cybertruck. Reportedly, a software issue prevented traction control from functioning correctly. Additionally, the pre-production version lacked the recovery points that are featured on the production version.
Online opinions expressed that if the operator of the Cybertruck had managed the incident in an alternate manner, it might have not been necessary for Ford to come to the rescue. As opposed to suddenly driving up the incline to return to the path, it possibly would have been smarter to ascend the gradient in a diagonal direction, which would allow for a smoother ascent.
What if the driver of the Cybertruck had completed the recommended training course from the US Forestry Service and Tesla? Then, it is possible the truck would not have had to be rescued by the Fords. Although the whether Tesla are likely to consent to such a program, remains in doubt. It seems unlikely that this will give rise to any official collaboration in the near future.
Source: US Forest Service
