Tesla Cybertruck No Match for Car Wash

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Failure After Car Wash & “Car Wash Mode”

  • Cybertruck reportedly bricked after a car wash and required a 5‑hour “reboot” via Tesla support.
  • Manual apparently warns against washing in direct sunlight and instructs using “Car Wash Mode” (locks ports, keeps windows closed, disables wipers and certain features).
  • Several commenters note many modern cars/EVs have similar modes to avoid sensors/auto features misbehaving.
  • Others argue nothing about a car-wash mode should ever leave a vehicle immobile.
  • Causality is disputed: some see a pattern of Cybertruck failures; others say the link to the wash is speculative and likely just correlation.

Software, Reboots, and Steer‑by‑Wire Concerns

  • A 5‑hour reboot and dependence on a central screen for all functions are seen as emblematic of problematic “software-first” automotive design.
  • Commenters worry that steer‑by‑wire plus software instability is risky, contrasting with stricter aviation maintenance regimes.
  • Some express dystopian discomfort at needing to “file a ticket” to reboot a car.

Cybertruck Design, Appeal, and Market Strategy

  • Many view Cybertruck as an ugly or joke-like concept that somehow reached production; others note aesthetics are subjective and some people clearly like it.
  • The design is described as optimized for simplified manufacturing (flat panels, few bends, heavy reliance on software), but execution is seen as poor.
  • Some argue trucks are high-margin and cracking the US truck segment could be lucrative; others think it has minimal mainstream appeal and is mainly a status/show-off object.

Tesla’s Business Prospects

  • One side: Tesla has substantial cash, manageable debt, positive cash flow, and strong net income/margins; bankruptcy fears are dismissed as uninformed.
  • Other side: growth has slowed, lineup is aging, competition is rising, and there’s speculation (explicitly labeled as hard to prove) that capital needs could become acute.

Modern Cars vs Older, Simpler Vehicles

  • Multiple commenters contrast complex EVs and “smart” features with older ICE cars that survive car washes, abuse, and time with minimal issues.
  • There is nostalgia for 2000s-era cars with physical controls, minimal software, and no touchscreens; current infotainment-heavy design trends are widely criticized.
  • Some note a partial industry shift back toward more physical controls, but central touchscreens seem entrenched.