Tesla spotted testing Cybertruck ‘crab driving’ at Giga Texas

Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer | X

Tesla has touted the Cybertruck’s rear-wheel-steering in the past, but a new video taken at the automaker’s factory in Austin, Texas, this week shows the company testing the feature with an interesting driving maneuver.

In a clip shared on X on Wednesday by drone pilot and Gigafactory Texas scout Joe Tegtmeyer, you can see Tesla testing out a “crab driving” or “crab walking” technique by using the rear-wheel-steering to maneuver forward while driving at an angle. The short clip takes place in a dirt construction lot area of Giga Texas, and when you look closely, you can see the rear wheels at a slight angle, giving the vehicle a tilted forward approach.

You can see the full clip posted by Tegtmeyer below.

As the video might suggest, rear-wheel-steering, also called four-wheel-steering, could be crucial for use at job sites, in off-road situations or in other scenarios where an extra tight turn radius or the ability to “crab drive” may come in handy. Tesla is not the first automaker to deploy rear-wheel-steering, though it certainly looks unique when the Cybertruck uses it.

You can see Tegtmeyer’s full video capturing Giga Texas this week, including the above pictured “crab walk” maneuver.

The Cybertruck has been spotted testing several times in the last few months, both on public roads and around Tesla’s factories. In September, the Cybertruck’s rear-wheel-steering was seen being used to perform a U-turn at an intersection, and the feature has been shown off by Tesla at other times in the past, too.

The sighting also comes ahead of Tesla’s Cybertruck delivery event later this month, which is set to take place on November 30. The event will be held at Giga Texas, and Tesla is offering shareholders the chance to win tickets to see the event in person with a random drawing.

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.

Zachary Visconti: Zach is a renewable energy reporter who has been covering electric vehicles since 2020. He grew up in Fremont, California, and he currently resides in Colorado. His work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, KRON4 San Francisco, FOX31 Denver and many other publications. When he isn't covering Tesla or other EV companies for Teslarati, you can find him writing and performing music, drinking lots of coffee, or hanging out with his cat, Banks. Reach out to Zach at zach@teslarati.com, or you can find him on X @zacharyvisconti.
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