Autopilot Features

This topic describes how to enable and use the following driver assistance features.
Informational PurposesAn informational icon, calling your attention
Note
Depending on date of manufacture, software version, and vehicle configuration, your vehicle may not be equipped with the following features, or a feature may not operate exactly as described.
  • Traffic-Aware Cruise Control: Like traditional cruise control, Traffic-Aware Cruise Control maintains a set driving speed. However, Traffic-Aware Cruise Control also slows down or accelerates Cybertruck as needed to maintain the following distance from the vehicle in front of you. While Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is engaged, you are still responsible for steering Cybertruck (see Traffic-Aware Cruise Control).
These features use information from the cameras on Cybertruck to detect lane markings, road edges, and other vehicles and road users around Cybertruck.
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CAUTION
Ensure all cameras are clean and free of obstructions before each drive and before using Autopilot features (see Cleaning a Camera). Dirty cameras as well as environmental conditions such as rain and faded lane markings, can affect Autopilot performance. If a camera is obstructed or blinded, Cybertruck displays a message on the touchscreen and Autopilot features may not be available.
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CAUTION
It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the limitations of Autopilot and the situations in which driver intervention may be needed. For more information, see Limitations and Warnings.

Autopilot Settings

Before you use Autopilot features, customize how they work by touching Controls > Autopilot.
  • Set Speed: Choose whether Autopilot engages at the currently detected speed limit or your current driving speed. Touch Controls > Autopilot > Set Speed and choose either Speed Limit or Current Speed.
  • Offset: If you choose Speed Limit, you can specify an offset by touching Set Speed Offset. You can choose Fixed (the cruising speed adjusts by a specific amount on all roads) or Percentage (the cruising speed is adjusted as a percentage of the road's detected speed limit).
  • Green Traffic Light Chime: In Canada and U.S.: If on, a chime will sound when you are waiting at a red traffic light and the light turns green. If you are not actively using Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and are waiting at a red light with a car in front of you, the chime sounds when the car ahead of you advances.

Traffic-Aware Cruise Control

Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is always enabled.

To use Traffic-Aware Cruise Control:

  1. Press the right scroll button, then release the accelerator pedal to allow Traffic-Aware Cruise Control to maintain the cruising speed. A chime sounds to indicate that Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is now active.
  2. To change the set speed, roll the right scroll wheel up to increase, or down to decrease. You can apply the accelerator at any time to temporarily override the set cruising speed. For more information, see While Using Autopilot.
  3. To cancel Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, press the right scroll button or press the brake pedal. For more information, see Canceling Autopilot.
Icon showing the set speed.
When Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is available but not engaged, the touchscreen displays the cruising speed in gray. The number shown represents the speed that will be set when you engage Traffic-Aware Cruise Control.
Icon showing the set speed.
When Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is actively cruising at a set speed, the speed is highlighted with blue text.
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Warning
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is designed for your driving comfort and convenience and is not a collision warning or avoidance system. It is your responsibility to stay alert, drive safely, and be in control of the vehicle at all times. Never depend on Traffic-Aware Cruise Control to adequately slow down Cybertruck. Always watch the road in front of you and be prepared to take corrective action at all times. Failure to do so can result in serious injury or death. For more information, see Limitations and Warnings.

Canceling Autopilot

Traffic-Aware Cruise Control cancels when:

  • You press the right scroll button on the steering wheel.
  • You press the brake pedal.
  • You exceed 85 mph (140 km/h).
  • You shift into Reverse, Park, or Neutral.
  • A door is opened.
  • An Automatic Emergency Braking event occurs (see Collision Avoidance Assist).
  • The driver's seatbelt is released, and/or the driver gets out of their seat.

When Traffic-Aware Cruise Control cancels, the cruising speed icon on the touchscreen turns gray to indicate that Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is no longer active.

When Traffic-Aware Cruise Control cancels, Cybertruck does not coast. Instead, regenerative braking slows down Cybertruck in the same way as when you move your foot off the accelerator when driving without Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (see Regenerative Braking).

While Using Autopilot

When Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is active and Autopilot is maintaining a set speed, the speed is highlighted with blue text on the touchscreen.

Maintaining the Set Speed

When Autopilot is active, Cybertruck maintains your set cruising speed whenever a vehicle is not detected in front of it. When cruising behind a vehicle, Cybertruck accelerates and decelerates as needed to maintain a chosen following distance (see Adjusting the Following Distance), up to the set speed.

You can manually accelerate at any time by pressing the accelerator pedal, but when you release the pedal Cybertruck resumes cruising at the set speed.

Cybertruck also adjusts the cruising speed when entering and exiting curves.

When Cybertruck is actively slowing down to maintain the selected distance from the vehicle ahead, brake lights turn on. You may notice slight movement of the brake pedal. However, when Cybertruck is accelerating, the accelerator pedal does not move.

Changing the Set Speed

Roll the right scroll wheel up to increase, or down to decrease, the set speed.

Image showing a zoombox going to the right scroll wheel with arrows going up and down on the scroll wheel.

It may take a few seconds for Cybertruck to reach the new cruising speed.

Adjusting the Following Distance

To adjust the following distance you want to maintain between Cybertruck and a vehicle traveling ahead of you, touch Controls > Autopilot > Cruise Follow Distance or press the right scroll button on the steering wheel to the left or right.

The closest following distance is 2.

Each setting corresponds to a time-based distance that represents how long it takes for Cybertruck, from its current location, to reach the location of the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead of you. Autopilot retains your setting until you change it again.

As you adjust the following distance, the touchscreen displays the current setting.

Stopping and Slowdowns

When moving significantly faster than vehicles in adjacent lanes, Cybertruck automatically reduces the driving speed. This is especially helpful in heavy traffic situations or when vehicles are constantly merging into different lanes. When Cybertruck detects other vehicles driving significantly slower, the touchscreen highlights the adjacent lanes with arrows and detected vehicles in gray, and Cybertruck reduces the driving speed as appropriate. To temporarily override this feature, press the accelerator pedal.

When following a vehicle, Autopilot remains active at low speeds, even when Cybertruck comes to a full stop. For example, Autopilot remains active even if Cybertruck slows down to a complete or near-complete stop in heavy, stop-and-go traffic on a highway. When traffic starts moving more rapidly, Autopilot again accelerates up to the set speed.

Sometimes when Cybertruck is at a full stop, Autopilot goes into a HOLD state. If this happens, briefly press the accelerator pedal to resume cruising.

Icon of an "H" inside a circle with half circles on each side of the circle.
When the HOLD status is active, the touchscreen displays the HOLD icon and a message that indicates that you need to resume cruise control.

Cybertruck goes into HOLD state while Autopilot is active in the following circumstances:

  • Cybertruck has been at a standstill for 5 minutes.
  • Cybertruck detects a pedestrian (the HOLD state may clear when the pedestrian is no longer detected).
  • Cybertruck suddenly loses visibility of the vehicle in front of you.
  • An obstacle is detected in front of Cybertruck.

Cruising Near or On Exits

When you are cruising near an exit on a controlled-access highway and engage the turn signal toward the off-ramp, Autopilot assumes you are exiting and begins to slow down Cybertruck. If you do not drive onto the off-ramp, Autopilot resumes cruising at the set speed.

In a region with right hand traffic, this occurs only when you engage the right turn signal when driving in the right-most lane within 164 ft. (50 meters) of an exit. Likewise in regions with left hand traffic, this occurs when engaging the left turn signal when driving in the left-most lane within 164 ft. (50 meters) of an exit.

When enabled while on a highway interchange or off-ramp, Traffic-Aware Cruise Control may reduce your set speed in 5 mph (5 km/h) increments – to as slow as 25 mph (40 km/h) – to better match the reported speeds of other Tesla vehicles that have driven at that specific location. To override this and continue cruising at your set speed, tap the accelerator pedal. The new set speed is maintained for the duration of the interchange or off-ramp (unless you override it or cancel Autopilot). After the interchange or off-ramp, the set speed may revert or change as necessary based on the new location. For example, if you merged onto a different highway, the set cruising speed reverts to what it was before driving on the interchange.
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Warning
In some cases (such as having insufficient data), Traffic-Aware Cruise Control may not automatically reduce the set speed on the highway interchange or off-ramp. Do not rely on Traffic-Aware Cruise Control to determine an appropriate driving speed. Tesla recommends driving at a speed that is safe for road conditions and within posted speed limits.

When cruising onto an on-ramp to a controlled-access highway, Autopilot automatically adjusts the set cruising speed to the speed limit of the highway, plus any offset you have specified.

Overtake Acceleration

Engage the turn signal momentarily to accelerate Cybertruck towards the vehicle ahead of it. By momentarily holding the turn signal, you can quickly accelerate up to your set speed without having to press the accelerator pedal as long as:

  • Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is operating and detects a vehicle in front of you.
  • No obstacles or vehicles are detected in the target lane.
  • Cybertruck is traveling below the set speed, but over 45 mph (72 km/h).

Cybertruck stops accelerating when you reach your set cruising speed, if changing lanes takes too long, or if Cybertruck gets too close the vehicle ahead. Cybertruck also stops accelerating if you disengage the turn signal.

Stop Light and Stop Sign Warning

While Autopilot is in use, Cybertruck displays a warning on the touchscreen and sounds a chime if it detects that you are likely to run through a red stop light or stop sign. If this happens, TAKE IMMEDIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION!

The visual and audible warnings cancel after a few seconds or when you press the brake pedal, whichever comes first.

Stop Light and Stop Sign Warning provides warnings only. It does not slow down or stop Cybertruck at red traffic lights, stop signs, road markings, etc. If equipped with Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control, you can enable this feature to automatically stop Cybertruck at traffic lights and stop signs (see Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control).

Emergency Vehicles

If available in your market region, Cybertruck automatically reduces driving speed when lights from an emergency vehicle are detected when using Autopilot at night on a high speed road. When this happens, the touchscreen displays a message informing you of the slowdown. You will also hear a chime, and see a reminder to keep your hands on the steering wheel. When the light detections pass by or cease to appear, Autopilot resumes your cruising speed. Alternatively, you may tap the accelerator to resume your cruising speed.

Never depend on Autopilot features to determine the presence of emergency vehicles. Cybertruck may not detect lights from emergency vehicles. Keep your eyes on your driving path and always be prepared to take immediate action.

Take Over Immediately

In situations where Autopilot is unable to steer Cybertruck, a warning chime sounds and the touchscreen displays the following message.

Exclamation point within a triangle
Take over immediately

When you see this message, take over steering immediately.