Elon Musk has stated that the Tesla Cybertruck may start its initial production this summer. Considering that summer is just over 70 days away, Tesla is definitely putting a ton of effort into its all-electric pickup truck to ensure that it’s ready to compete in the automotive market.
With this in mind, it is no surprise to see Tesla testing the Cybertruck with what appears to be wheel calibrating equipment. This was hinted at in a recent sighting of the Tesla Cybertruck in Fremont. Images of the Cybertruck showed the vehicle equipped with what appeared to be a series of sensors. Its wheels were also particularly eye-catching.
As noted by members of the Cybertruck Owners Forum, the Cybertruck beta in the recent sighting was equipped with a set of tires that are quite easy on the eyes. Mounted on the steel wheels, however, are what appear to be wheel force transducers, which are precision measuring equipment.
Wheel force transducers are designed to aid in the evaluation and advancement of complete vehicle chassis and their components. They are used in a wide range of vehicles, from sedans, SUVs, and commercial vehicles, to race cars and industrial vehicles. When in use, wheel force transducers typically take the place of a regular wheel, measuring the forces and moments that act upon the tire’s contact patch.
The Tesla Cybertruck has been described by executives such as Elon Musk as the company’s masterpiece for now. It is expected to adopt numerous features, including rear-wheel steering. Such features may require more calibrating work if they are to be used with systems such as Autopilot and FSD.
Interestingly enough, this may not be the first time that a Cybertruck prototype with apparent wheel force transducers has been spotted in the wild. Last August, a rather battle-weary Cybertruck unit was photographed as it was being offloaded from a transport truck. Similar to the Cybertruck in the recent sighting, the vehicle was outfitted with numerous sensors then. It was also equipped with wheels that looked very similar to those in the recent prototype.
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