YouTuber Turns $140,000 Cybertruck Into a Giant RC Car, Then Crashes It at 111 MPH

Cody "WhistlinDiesel" Detwiler spent nearly $300,000 and close to two years putting a Tesla Cybertruck and a Ford F-150 through relentless abuse. The finale involved converting the $140,000 Foundation Series Cybertruck into a fully remote-controlled vehicle. His team built the system from scratch in about three days, using an Arduino-based setup, stepper motors on the steering column, servo actuators on the pedals, and a pneumatic dead man's switch that applies the brakes if the controller loses power or signal.

The truck was powered by its own 48V mid-voltage battery, and Detwiler piloted it via an FPV camera and goggles.

One unexpected issue: the Cybertruck's interior radar, designed to detect passenger breathing, kept putting the truck into park when it sensed no one inside. The fix was simple, they unplugged the module.

Detwiler then sent the driverless Cybertruck down a drag strip at full acceleration, hitting a parked F-150 broadside at 111 mph. Both trucks were empty. About 30 firefighters were on standby, which proved necessary when the F-150 caught fire almost instantly. Detwiler said the F-150 was "evaporated," noting the cab came off the chassis.

The Cybertruck's stainless steel body held up well, with damage mainly to the suspension and wheel spokes. The high-voltage battery did not catch fire, despite significant frame deformation. According to IOL Motoring, the impact would have been fatal for anyone inside either vehicle.

Detwiler declared the F-150 the more durable truck overall, even though the Cybertruck looked better after the crash. The Ford needed only one driveshaft replacement during the series, while the Cybertruck visited Tesla service centers six or seven times, racking up about $53,000 in repairs over fewer than 1,000 hard miles.

Tesla later declared the Cybertruck a total loss and refused to service it. The Moab, Utah shoot cost roughly $40,000 in setup, but the Cybertruck only traveled about a mile before its towing module failed. Someone later listed it for sale online. Detwiler's verdict: "It feels like a beefy Model 3," praising the body and comfort, but noting it doesn't behave like a work truck.