Gary Zhou 
Key Points
- 🚗 Tesla is testing “crab driving” with the Cybertruck at its factory in Austin, Texas, using rear-wheel-steering for unique maneuverability.
- 📹 A video posted on X by Joe Tegtmeyer shows the Cybertruck using rear-wheel-steering to drive at an angle in a construction lot area.
- 🦀 Rear-wheel-steering, or four-wheel-steering, could be valuable for tight turns, off-road scenarios, and other situations where maneuverability is crucial.
- 🚀 The Cybertruck has been spotted testing various features and is scheduled for a delivery event at Giga Texas later this month.
- 📅 The Cybertruck delivery event is set for November 30, and Tesla is offering shareholders a chance to attend.
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. Tegtmeyer also says he plans to release a longer video from his time at Giga Texas on Wednesday, and this story will be updated to include the full video upon release.
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.
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.
