New viral video shows Tesla’s Cybertruck’s shatterproof glass has come a long way

The Cybertruck's windows aren't just bulletproof

By Dave McQuilling March 10, 2024

Tesla Cybertruck parked indoors in front of a black wall with headlights and taillights on. — Tesla / Tesla

A key feature of the Tesla Cybertruck seemingly makes the vehicle immune to one common car crime. Thieves in San Francisco, commonly known as “blippers,” were witnessed trying and failing to smash the vehicle’s “bulletproof” armored glass. Some kind of pick appeared to be used during the 45-second-long assault on the truck’s perdurable panes.

The would-be thief in question was even videoed jumping on the Cybertruck’s roof, but even that wasn’t enough to force an opening. The whole incident, along with photos of the truck’s windows, was shared on X by user Arash Malek, who added, “Cybertruck is California-proof. Armored glass beats criminals trying their best to break in – even when jumping on the roof.”

Cybertruck is California-proof. Armored glass beats criminals trying their best to break in – even when jumping on the roof. @Tesla @cybertruck @elonmusk @teslaownersSV @oaklandpoliceca

Don’t mess with Cybertruck. 📐 pic.twitter.com/S8Wt1tCcNC

— Arash Malek (@MinimalDuck) February 26, 2024

While the glass didn’t give, it wasn’t completely unscathed. There are cracks and chips present as a result of the thief’s actions. The Cybertruck’s glass components range in price from $200 for the cheaper side panels to around $1,900 for the windshield. Labor will also be a factor. It is unknown what the thief was attempting to steal, and if its value was less than the repair costs the vehicle will face, but hopefully, the fact that the Cybertruck seems pretty impenetrable will simply deter thieves in the future.

As an added bonus, the vehicle’s Sentry Security System captured the whole incident, along with a clear shot of the perpetrator’s face. Which could serve as another deterrent to anyone hoping to break into one of the controversial vehicles.

Tesla’s glass wasn’t always this impressive

Tesla’s glass wasn’t always enough to deter an attack. In fact, its fragility caused a stir as soon as the Cybertruck was announced. Franz von Holzhausen, the truck’s lead designer, managed to smash two of the windows with a steel ball during a demonstration of the glass’ supposed toughness. The gaffe was somewhat blamed on the strikes the glass took from a sledgehammer earlier in the demonstration.

Musk and Tesla referenced the embarrassing incident during the official handover, where Von Holzhausen was once again invited to toss a ball at the tempered glass. However, eagle-eyed observers may have noticed that it wasn’t a steel ball this time around but a regulation baseball instead.

Von Holzhausen’s baseball simply bounced off the window to rapturous applause from the gathered crowd. Even if actual steel balls are still enough to thwart the Tesla, there is obviously something to the glass if the tempering is now strong enough to deter one of the world’s most common car crimes.

Despite the windows exceeding expectations, there are still areas where the Cybertruck disappoints. Reports of rusting and staining on the truck’s stainless steel body have surfaced in recent weeks, and it’s also pretty disappointing when taken offroad or tasked with difficult weather.

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Dave McQuilling

Dave has spent pretty much his entire career as a journalist; this has included jobs at newspapers, TV stations, on the…

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