Some Tesla engineers hated Cybertruck's design and secretly designed alternative -- says design chief Franz (in new Musk biography book)

[firsttruck]

Some of the designs they came up with:

Those look a lot less like being capable of being work trucks than the 3mm cold-rolled stainless armored Cybertruck RCs being built at Austin.

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[SSonnentag]

I was quite shocked at the CT reveal. Then I thought EM was just pranking us all and kept waiting for him to say, "just kidding, here's the real truck." But it never happened. It took me 45 minutes to go through shock, disbelief, dismay, and finally somewhat resentful acceptance that the CT was the real deal. I have come to love the design for the most part, although I'm still a bit concerned about the forward/side visibility with those long, extended A-pillars blocking so much view of the road that isn't normally blocked. I'm just really looking forward to being able to haul bulky stuff and not having to tow my utility trailer to the lumber yard anymore. And not having to worry about bumps and scrapes to the paint is just icing on the cake!

 

[CyberGus]

...I'm still a bit concerned about the forward/side visibility with those long, extended A-pillars blocking so much view of the road that isn't normally blocked.

Here's the A-pillar from my Fiat 500. It's a miracle I haven't killed anyone

 

[Friday]

Or try the Chrysler Pacifica thicc A pillars. There is even a cheater window that doesn't help much. You have to crane your neck around them for full visual.

 

[Crissa]

A-pillars have gotten chunky everywhere. Cabins are more crush proof and air bags take up space. Tesla is not going to skimp here.

That's all the more reason to say, 'keep your head on a swivel' when approaching stop signs. A pedestrian or cyclist could fit behind them at the right speed and...

Anyhow, I've never hit anyone, but I have seen them at the last moment because they were traveling just the right speed to remain hidden.

Also all the more to have AI looking for them, too. Always good to have a second set of 'eyes'.

-Crissa

 

[Mini2nut]

In the air or on the road the radical designs are very cool.

 

[punkt]

Some of the designs they came up with:

Eh.. I kinda like the look of the CT.. It's grown on me. Plus,

A-pillars have gotten chunky everywhere. Cabins are more crush proof and air bags take up space. Tesla is not going to skimp here.

That's all the more reason to say, 'keep your head on a swivel' when approaching stop signs. A pedestrian or cyclist could fit behind them at the right speed and...

Anyhow, I've never hit anyone, but I have seen them at the last moment because they were traveling just the right speed to remain hidden.

Also all the more to have AI looking for them, too. Always good to have a second set of 'eyes'.

-Crissa

Ever vigilant eyes with no obstructions painting a picture of the surrounding area at 34 frames/second and reporting to an AI that lives to keep you and the world around you safe.

 

[Setok]

Here's the A-pillar from my Fiat 500. It's a miracle I haven't killed anyone

The difference is that on many vehicles the A pillars are more upright. The long thick ones really can cover a lot. Even on the Model 3 the sweeping A pillars would constantly cover people and cars. Had a few close calls that way.

I yearn for the days when A pillars were slimmer.

 

[PilotPete]

I yearn for the days when A pillars were slimmer.

It's those dang safety radicals. Wanting a vehicle to protect its occupants, why? Why do you need the car to protect you in a roll-over? I mean, there are no tires on the roof, it's not meant to drive on the roof! Who cares if the top folds down to the doors when it flips? It's you stupid fault for flipping the dang thing over in the first place. And the purpose of the roof is to protect you from the elements, not increase crash worthiness in frontal impacts. It's simple, just don't run into things! I mean, people do it every day.

Stupid car designers!

 

[HaulingAss]

A-pillars have gotten chunky everywhere. Cabins are more crush proof and air bags take up space. Tesla is not going to skimp here.

That's all the more reason to say, 'keep your head on a swivel' when approaching stop signs. A pedestrian or cyclist could fit behind them at the right speed and...

Anyhow, I've never hit anyone, but I have seen them at the last moment because they were traveling just the right speed to remain hidden.

Also all the more to have AI looking for them, too. Always good to have a second set of 'eyes'.

-Crissa

You will notice a driver that is truly skilled will always move their head fore/aft about 6 inches, while simultaneously glancing far right and left, before accellerating through an intersection with the possibility of pedestrians, bicyclists or even a motorcyclist moving into one of the blind spots. It's something a human needs to do to form a truly unobstructed 360 degree view of the surrounding environment before they push the accellerator and we do it without consciously understanding why we are doing it, or even being aware that we are doing it.

But many drivers have never figured out this was required. They are lazy drivers who would rather assume nothing moved into their blind spot. With two eyes that function, the amount you need to move your head, even in a modern car with thick pillars, is less than you might think, but it is still required to avoid making fatal mistakes. The fact that not everyone does this naturally is one major reason why FSD will be much safer than humans, it has an unobstructed 360-degree view at all times and it never gets distracted or lazy.

 

[Setok]

It's those dang safety radicals. Wanting a vehicle to protect its occupants, why? Why do you need the car to protect you in a roll-over? I mean, there are no tires on the roof, it's not meant to drive on the roof! Who cares if the top folds down to the doors when it flips? It's you stupid fault for flipping the dang thing over in the first place. And the purpose of the roof is to protect you from the elements, not increase crash worthiness in frontal impacts. It's simple, just don't run into things! I mean, people do it every day.

Stupid car designers!

Well, I think air bags are probably a big reason for the thickness. You look at race cars with space frames and they are actually thinner than many A pillars these days. Or even cars a few years back, and their frames were still sturdy enough not to get crushed.

 

[SSonnentag]

Well, I think air bags are probably a big reason for the thickness. You look at race cars with space frames and they are actually thinner than many A pillars these days. Or even cars a few years back, and their frames were still sturdy enough not to get crushed.

Airbags prevent us all from having to wear helmets to maintain a bit of safety in the event of an accident.

 

[HaulingAss]

Well, I think air bags are probably a big reason for the thickness. You look at race cars with space frames and they are actually thinner than many A pillars these days. Or even cars a few years back, and their frames were still sturdy enough not to get crushed.

Roll-over accidents are statistically the most deadly of all accidents, primarily because of this:

Yes, thick A-pillars save lives, particularly when they are well-engineered using some extra-high-strength steel. Some manufacturers only engineer to pass the roof strength test, Tesla engineers to break the testing machine:

UPDATE: Tesla roof so strong it broke crush-test machine (usatoday.com)

 

[Setok]

Roll-over accidents are statistically the most deadly of all accidents, primarily because of this:

Yes, thick A-pillars save lives, particularly when they are well-engineered using some extra-high-strength steel. Some manufacturers only engineer to pass the roof strength test, Tesla engineers to break the testing machine:

UPDATE: Tesla roof so strong it broke crush-test machine (usatoday.com)

I don’t think I was dismissing the deadliness of a rollover. Just that roof strength isn’t the only reason for thick pillars.

I would still like to have thinner pillars if I could for better visibility (which is also important for safety).

 

[Crissa]

The difference is that on many vehicles the A pillars are more upright. The long thick ones really can cover a lot. Even on the Model 3 the sweeping A pillars would constantly cover people and cars. Had a few close calls that way.

I yearn for the days when A pillars were slimmer.

More upright matches that people are more upright.

So I think it's the opposite.

-Crissa

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