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Cybertruck, R1T and F-150 Lightning Hollister Hills stairs runs compared
Clips of a Tesla Cybertruck climbing the stair steps at the Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) have circulated widely this week, especially after a Rivian R1T owner followed up with a video of their electric pickup performing the same obstacle. Now, Ford CEO Jim Farley has also chimed in, showing off footage of the same California stair steps driven by the Ford F-150 Lightning.
Multiple of Tesla’s Cybertrucks were seen during a round of testing at the SVRA site ahead of its initial deliveries later this month, as were originally spotted a few weeks ago, and shared in a post on Instagram. The R1T and F-150 Lightning attempts at the steps have since been shared on X, along with additional angles of the Cybertruck release candidate performing the obstacle.
Some have criticized the Cybertruck’s performance since the video’s release, as the R1T run seems to handle the stairs a little bit more quickly, at the very least. The F-150 Lightning also performs the stair step with some level of ease, though it’s not quite as clean of a run as the R1T footage seems to accomplish. Others have also said that a different driver could change each of these runs completely, and that an experienced off-road driver would have handled the Cybertruck’s run differently.
Tesla Cybertruck sighting next to Rivian R1T shows size comparison
It’s also worth noting that Tesla’s Cybertrucks were pre-production vehicles testing, as the trucks haven’t yet been delivered to customers at this time — and they clearly show “release candidate” decals to signify this.
User omg_Tesla, who posted the R1T footage on X, also points out that the stair step obstacle is primarily made from cement, created to offer a particularly low-traction surface to force vehicles to flex and articulate their suspension levels. The more vehicles that drive up, the user says, the more trails of dirt are left behind, making the path more slippery. A few other vehicles can also be seen driving around on the steps in the original Cybertruck footage, presumably making them more difficult during Tesla’s tests.
In any case, it’s hard to deny that all three of these pickups manage the obstacle relatively well, especially given that they’re early fully electric models in an emerging sector.
You can watch the Tesla Cybertruck, the Rivian R1T and the Ford F-150 Lightning drive on the Hollister Hills SVRA stairs below, and you can tell us your conclusions down in the comments section.
Tesla Cybertruck performing the Hollister Hills SVRA stair step
Here's another angle of the Hollister Hills climb. People thought it was a dirt hill and Cybertruck did poorly. In reality it's a lot more difficult and Cybertruck did well. pic.twitter.com/xlOIHA3pzN
— Dirty Tesla (@DirtyTesLa) November 12, 2023
Rivian R1T performing the Hollister Hills SVRA stair step
Cake walk! Tried to copy what the Cybertruck did https://t.co/t9gkJKfBXw pic.twitter.com/pBDnFw7kcw
— OMG_TESLA/RIVIAN (@omg_tesla) November 12, 2023
Ford F-150 Lightning performing the Hollister Hills SVRA stair step
F-150 Lightning does it all. 👍 pic.twitter.com/uCMUSxUIpj
— Jim Farley (@jimfarley98) November 15, 2023
What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send your tips to us at tips@teslarati.com.
News
Tesla FSD (Supervised) v14.2.2 starts rolling out
The update focuses on smoother real-world performance, better obstacle awareness, and precise end-of-trip routing, among other improvements.
Tesla has started rolling out Full Self-Driving (Supervised) v14.2.2, bringing further refinements to its most advanced driver-assist system. The new FSD update focuses on smoother real-world performance, better obstacle awareness, and precise end-of-trip routing, among other improvements.
Key FSD v14.2.2 improvements
As noted by Not a Tesla App, FSD v14.2.2 upgrades the vision encoder neural network with higher resolution features, enhancing detection of emergency vehicles, road obstacles, and human gestures. New Arrival Options let users select preferred drop-off styles, such as Parking Lot, Street, Driveway, Parking Garage, or Curbside, with the navigation pin automatically adjusting to the user’s ideal spot for precision.
Other additions include pulling over for emergency vehicles, real-time vision-based detours for blocked roads, improved gate and debris handling, and extreme Speed Profiles for customized driving styles. Reliability gains cover fault recovery, residue alerts on the windshield, and automatic narrow-field camera washing for new 2026 Model Y units.
FSD v14.2.2 also boosts unprotected turns, lane changes, cut-ins, and school bus scenarios, among other things. Tesla also noted that users’ FSD statistics will be saved under Controls > Autopilot, which should help drivers easily view how much they are using FSD in their daily drives.
Key FSD v14.2.2 release notes
Full Self-Driving (Supervised) v14.2.2 includes:
- Upgraded the neural network vision encoder, leveraging higher resolution features to further improve scenarios like handling emergency vehicles, obstacles on the road, and human gestures.
- Added Arrival Options for you to select where FSD should park: in a Parking Lot, on the Street, in a Driveway, in a Parking Garage, or at the Curbside.
- Added handling to pull over or yield for emergency vehicles (e.g. police cars, fire trucks, ambulances).
- Added navigation and routing into the vision-based neural network for real-time handling of blocked roads and detours.
- Added additional Speed Profile to further customize driving style preference.
- Improved handling for static and dynamic gates.
- Improved offsetting for road debris (e.g. tires, tree branches, boxes).
- Improve handling of several scenarios, including unprotected turns, lane changes, vehicle cut-ins, and school buses.
- Improved FSD’s ability to manage system faults and recover smoothly from degraded operation for enhanced reliability.
- Added alerting for residue build-up on interior windshield that may impact front camera visibility. If affected, visit Service for cleaning!
- Added automatic narrow field washing to provide rapid and efficient front camera self-cleaning, and optimize aerodynamics wash at higher vehicle speed.
- Camera visibility can lead to increased attention monitoring sensitivity.
Upcoming Improvements:
- Overall smoothness and sentience.
- Parking spot selection and parking quality.
News
Tesla is not sparing any expense in ensuring the Cybercab is safe
Images shared by the longtime watcher showed 16 Cybercab prototypes parked near Giga Texas’ dedicated crash test facility.
The Tesla Cybercab could very well be the safest taxi on the road when it is released and deployed for public use. This was, at least, hinted at by the intensive safety tests that Tesla seems to be putting the autonomous two-seater through at its Giga Texas crash test facility.
Intensive crash tests
As per recent images from longtime Giga Texas watcher and drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer, Tesla seems to be very busy crash testing Cybercab units. Images shared by the longtime watcher showed 16 Cybercab prototypes parked near Giga Texas’ dedicated crash test facility just before the holidays.
Tegtmeyer’s aerial photos showed the prototypes clustered outside the factory’s testing building. Some uncovered Cybercabs showed notable damage and one even had its airbags engaged. With Cybercab production expected to start in about 130 days, it appears that Tesla is very busy ensuring that its autonomous two-seater ends up becoming the safest taxi on public roads.
Prioritizing safety
With no human driver controls, the Cybercab demands exceptional active and passive safety systems to protect occupants in any scenario. Considering Tesla’s reputation, it is then understandable that the company seems to be sparing no expense in ensuring that the Cybercab is as safe as possible.
Tesla’s focus on safety was recently highlighted when the Cybertruck achieved a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This was a notable victory for the Cybertruck as critics have long claimed that the vehicle will be one of, if not the, most unsafe truck on the road due to its appearance. The vehicle’s Top Safety Pick+ rating, if any, simply proved that Tesla never neglects to make its cars as safe as possible, and that definitely includes the Cybercab.
Elon Musk
Tesla’s Elon Musk gives timeframe for FSD’s release in UAE
Provided that Musk’s timeframe proves accurate, FSD would be able to start saturating the Middle East, starting with the UAE, next year.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated on Monday that Full Self-Driving (Supervised) could launch in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as soon as January 2026.
Provided that Musk’s timeframe proves accurate, FSD would be able to start saturating the Middle East, starting with the UAE, next year.
Musk’s estimate
In a post on X, UAE-based political analyst Ahmed Sharif Al Amiri asked Musk when FSD would arrive in the country, quoting an earlier post where the CEO encouraged users to try out FSD for themselves. Musk responded directly to the analyst’s inquiry.
“Hopefully, next month,” Musk wrote. The exchange attracted a lot of attention, with numerous X users sharing their excitement at the idea of FSD being brought to a new country. FSD (Supervised), after all, would likely allow hands-off highway driving, urban navigation, and parking under driver oversight in traffic-heavy cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Musk’s comments about FSD’s arrival in the UAE were posted following his visit to the Middle Eastern country. Over the weekend, images were shared online of Musk meeting with UAE Defense Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and Dubai Crown Prince HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed. Musk also posted a supportive message about the country, posting “UAE rocks!” on X.
FSD recognition
FSD has been getting quite a lot of support from foreign media outlets. FSD (Supervised) earned high marks from Germany’s largest car magazine, Auto Bild, during a test in Berlin’s challenging urban environment. The demonstration highlighted the system’s ability to handle dense traffic, construction sites, pedestrian crossings, and narrow streets with smooth, confident decision-making.
Journalist Robin Hornig was particularly struck by FSD’s superior perception and tireless attention, stating: “Tesla FSD Supervised sees more than I do. It doesn’t get distracted and never gets tired. I like to think I’m a good driver, but I can’t match this system’s all-around vision. It’s at its best when both work together: my experience and the Tesla’s constant attention.” Only one intervention was needed when the system misread a route, showcasing its maturity while relying on vision-only sensors and over-the-air learning.