In a daring and somewhat reckless experiment, YouTuber Jeremy Judkins tested the updated safety features of Tesla's Cybertruck by placing various objects — and eventually his own finger — under the vehicle's frunk (front trunk) to see how it would react. The result was far from what he anticipated, leaving him with a damaged finger and raising questions about the effectiveness of the safety update.

Cybertruck's Safety Update Put to the Test

Tesla recently released a software update intended to enhance the safety of the Cybertruck's frunk by improving its ability to detect obstructions. This update followed several viral videos showing the frunk forcefully closing on objects like carrots, demonstrating the need for better safety measures.

Judkins began his test by placing vegetables such as carrots, cucumbers, and bananas in the frunk, both before and after the update. Initially, the frunk crushed all the produce without hesitation. However, post-update, Judkins noted a significant improvement, stating, "With just a software update, the Tesla Cybertruck frunk is way safer. We witnessed it destroy a ton of vegetables, and then post-update did nothing."

The Experiment Takes a Turn

The test escalated when Judkins decided to move from vegetables to his own body parts. Initially placing his arm and then his hand under the frunk, he experienced only minor pressure. However, the situation dramatically changed when he placed his finger in the path of the closing frunk. The mechanism closed on his finger, causing it to shake visibly with a dent and a small cut, trapping him momentarily.

Judkins shared his immediate fear during the incident, "It kind of locked down on it and I was a little freaked out because I didn't know how to open it up. I was kind of trapped."

Tesla Responds to the Test

After the incident, a lead Cybertruck engineer at Tesla critiqued Judkins' method, explaining that the frunk's pressure increases each time it closes and detects resistance. This design is intended to ensure that the frunk closes securely even when obstructed by less sensitive items like bags. According to the engineer, "Using this information, that means it closed on my finger harder than my hand and way harder than my arm," Judkins said, reflecting on his painful experience.

Safety or Overcorrection?

The experiment highlighted a potential flaw in the Cybertruck's updated system — its inability to differentiate effectively between various types of obstructions. While the update improved the frunk's response to inanimate objects like vegetables and bags, it failed to adequately protect more delicate obstructions like human fingers.

Judkins, still recovering from the painful test, concluded with a critical note on the update's limitations, "The update might make your banana safe, but fingers aren't quite in the clear."

Tesla has yet to respond with any further adjustments to the frunk's programming following Judkins' experiment, leaving Cybertruck owners and potential buyers wondering about the true safety of the vehicle's innovative features. As this incident shows, even technology designed to enhance safety can have unexpected consequences when tested in real-world conditions.