Why does the Tesla Cybertruck have side mirrors?

Behind this seemingly trivial question lies a real puzzle that Tesla has failed to solve.

The head of Tesla design, Franz von Holzhausen, stated that the manufacturer has always wanted to avoid adding side mirrors to the Cybertruck. The initial version of the pickup truck revealed by Elon Musk in 2019 did not have side mirrors but discreet cameras, as the automaker aimed to make the prototype as sleek and angular as possible. The various prototypes that followed were also without mirrors, until the first pre-production units. Faced with extremely strict regulations, the American manufacturer had to abandon that goal and add the unsightly appendages.

Safety Before Style

Side mirrors are a legal requirement from the American National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Musk, a sore loser, nevertheless continues to assert that these mirrors are easily removable in less than a minute and that drivers will soon be able to replace them with side cameras. Immediate response from NHTSA, which reminded manufacturers that “deliberately rendering inoperative any aspect of a vehicle required to comply with federal safety standards” is prohibited.

Cumbersome and Fragile

Because beyond purely aesthetic considerations, Tesla has other reasons for wanting to replace these digital mirrors. The first, and simplest, is that cameras are much more attractive than simple mirrors for a vehicle that aims to be at the cutting edge of technology. The second is related to Tesla’s desire to produce a vehicle as durable as possible. Reinforced glass, a chassis worthy of a tank, and bulletproof bodywork. All of this seems pointless if the first branch crossing a country road or the first angry motorcyclist at a red light tears off a mirror.

The mirrors are not the only accessories sacrificed on the altar of regulation. The initial prototype did not have windshield wipers, but Tesla was forced to add one, Musk admitting that there was no “easy solution” to the challenge of keeping the huge windshield of the Cybertruck clear of rain.

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