Tesla has cleared the air regarding a video that has been circulating, where the owner claims his Cybertruck was “deactivated” by the company while he was driving.

The video was shared on X and showed a driver pulled over on the side of the road, claiming his Cybertruck had been deactivated by Tesla in the middle of traffic. It is very obviously fake to those who know the company, but these kinds of things have a tendency to pick up steam.

This video is going viral of a Cybertruck “de-activated” in the middle of the road. What’s wild is a lot of people are believing it. People’s hate for Tesla and Elon Musk seems to shadow their critical thinking skills.

It’s likely a YouTube video or something just playing on… pic.twitter.com/HJr00Umjbu

— Jeremy Judkins (@jeremyjudkins_) August 11, 2025

The video shows a screen that says:

“Tesla Cybertruck De-Activated. Critical Issue Detected | Contact Customer Service, Comply with Cease & Desist to Re-Activate. Update Failed, Return to Dealer.”

The same person who posted the video also shared an image of what appears to be a Cease and Desist letter from Tesla, but it is also likely fake:

He also claims Tesla sent him a cease and desist letter because he made a song titled Cybertruck or something like that.

That’s why the error message in the video mentions a cease and desist. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/1zdtGApEfj

— Jeremy Judkins (@jeremyjudkins_) August 11, 2025

Advertisement

The company finally responded to the video on Monday afternoon, stating that the video is, in fact, fake, reiterating that it will not disable vehicles remotely for any reason.

This is fake – that’s not our screen.

Tesla does NOT disable vehicles remotely. https://t.co/QFOLG74AJI

— Tesla (@Tesla) August 11, 2025

It is a shame that these types of things happen, especially as people are prone to believe anything they see on the internet. As there is so much misinformation circulating surrounding Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk, it is no surprise that someone would leverage the situation for their own benefit.

If that Cease and Desist letter is not real, perhaps the next one might be. These types of things can truly cause damage to a company’s reputation, and someone getting an idea that Tesla would remotely deactivate a car could prevent them from buying one.

It took a while, but the Tesla Cybertruck’s rock sliders and battery armor upgrades have finally arrived. The upgrade was announced by the electric vehicle maker on social media platform X, to much appreciation from Cybertruck owners.

Tesla Releases Cybertruck Armor Package

As could be seen in Tesla’s official Shop, the Cybertruck Terrestrial Armor Package is available only for Foundation Series units for now, though non-Foundation Series vehicles should have access to the upgrade around September 2025. Price-wise, the armor package is quite reasonable at $3,500.

For that price, Cybertruck owners would be able to acquire enhanced rock sliders and an underbody battery shield that should allow the all-electric pickup truck to go through harsh terrain without any issues. Each purchase of the Terrestrial Armor Package includes 1 Underbody shield, 1 Left side structural rocker, and 1 Right side structural rocker.

Most importantly, the Armor Package’s price includes shipment to the customer’s preferred Tesla Service Center and installation.

Extra-Terrestrial

Tesla describes its Cybertruck Armor Package as follows: “Get extra-terrestrial. The Cybertruck Terrestrial Armor Package includes enhanced rock sliders and an underbody battery shield to provide greater protection from rocks and debris when off-roading on tough terrain. The rock sliders are constructed from coated steel and the underbody battery shield is constructed from aluminum for greater protection against scraping.”

Initial impressions from a Cybertruck owner who was fortunate enough to test the Armor Package in real-world off-road conditions have been positive. The item’s pricing also seems to be quite appreciated by Cybertruck owners in forums such as the Cybertruck Owners Club, with some members stating that they would be acquiring the package for their own all-electric pickup trucks.

It was recently revealed in U.S. government filings made public that the Tesla Cybertruck was sought out by the Air Force for munitions training and testing, and the reason why the vehicle was specifically chosen will shock you.

Last night, we reported that the U.S. Air Force was looking to buy a fleet of 33 total vehicles for its Special Operations Command (USSOCOM)’s Standoff Precision Guided Munition (SOPGM) training and tests. Documents filed showed that two Cybertrucks were requested.

While many of these cars are used for simple target practice and are intended to be disposed, the Cybertruck seems to be a bit more of a challenge for the heavy artillery that will be used on it. Some documents that revealed the plans went into detail about why the Cybertruck was specifically chosen.

Tesla Cybertruck blasted by another firearm to prove unbelievable strength

One filing said that the Cybertruck is simply more capable than typical vehicles. The government believes Cybertrucks would be used by enemy forces because of their proven durability against gunfire:

“In the operating theatre, it is likely [that] the type of vehicles used by the enemy may transition to Tesla Cyber trucks as they have been found not to receive the normal extent of damage expected upon major impact. Testing needs to mirror real-world situations.”

We’ve already seen this on one occasion, as Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov managed to install a turret on the back of one of the all-electric pickups last year. Kadyrov claimed Musk “remotely disconnected” the Cybertruck.

Tesla Cybertruck with turret ‘disabled by Elon Musk,’ Chechen warlord says

In an effort to find comparable vehicles that displayed similar characteristics to Cybertruck, the military performed market research in February to do so. However, it was unsuccessful, claiming the pickup design “sets it apart” from others:

“On 13 February 2025, market research was conducted to assess the competition for the Tesla Cybertruck by evaluating its design, materials, impact resistance, and innovative technologies. The study revealed that the Cybertruck’s aggressively angular and futuristic design, paired with its unpainted stainless steel exoskeleton, sets it apart from competitors typically using painted steel or aluminum bodies. Additionally, its 48V electrical architecture provides superior power and efficiency, a feature that rivals are only beginning to develop. Extensive internet searches and industry outreach by [redacted] found no vehicles with features comparable to those of the Cybertruck.”

It is interesting considering there are outlets and people out there who routinely mention the Cybertruck as an unreliable vehicle with a lot of quality problems. Many point to the recall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that aimed to solve body panels disconnecting from the pickup as proof that the car is unsafe.

However, the NHTSA’s 473 Safety Recall Report claims that just 1 percent of the potentially involved population of 46,906 Cybertrucks will be impacted by that recall.

It is apparently strong and reliable enough for the military to use it as a target for munitions training.