Experts have raised concerns that the Cybertruck’s stiff stainless-steel exterior, angular design, weight and acceleration could increase risks to pedestrians, cyclists and people in other vehicles. Those concerns are not the same as proof that every Cybertruck is unsafe: the experts Reuters interviewed said crash-test data was needed for firm conclusions, and later test results apply only to specific performance measures, model years and build dates.
What safety experts were concerned about
Reuters interviewed six safety professors and officials after they viewed crash-test videos Tesla presented at the Cybertruck delivery event on November 30, 2023. They raised questions about the vehicle’s stiff stainless-steel exterior, limited crumple zones, size and acceleration. Their comments were expert concerns based on the videos, not a regulator’s finding or a definitive comparative crash study.
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Adrian Lund, former president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, told Reuters: “The big problem there is if they really make the skin of the vehicle very stiff by using thick stainless steel, then when people hit their heads on it, it’s going to cause more damage to them.”
George Washington University auto-safety professor Samer Hamdar raised concerns about limited crumple zones, while acknowledging that other features might compensate. Former acting NHTSA head David Friedman discussed a possible crash-compatibility disadvantage for occupants of less-stiff vehicles. Julia Griswold, director of UC Berkeley SafeTREC, said the truck’s weight and acceleration “raise red flags for non-occupants.” SafeTREC’s December 13, 2023 summary described the experts as alarmed by the videos, but it summarized the Reuters reporting rather than presenting an independent crash study.
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Tesla’s position, as reported by Reuters, was that the body panels were designed to absorb crash impact and that energy-absorbing ribs were included in the front and rear structures. Elon Musk said he was highly confident the Cybertruck would be safer than other trucks for occupants and pedestrians. Reuters also reported that the experts needed crash-test data before drawing firm conclusions from the event videos.
Is the Cybertruck safe? What published tests establish
There is no single test result here that settles every meaning of “safe.” Occupant protection in a defined crash test, a system’s ability to avoid a pedestrian collision, and the injuries a person might suffer if struck are different questions.
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Occupant protection and the IIHS award
The IIHS’s 2025 Cybertruck page awards a Top Safety Pick+ designation only to vehicles built after April 2025. It reports Good ratings for small-overlap front, updated moderate-overlap front, updated side, headlights and standard pedestrian front crash prevention. Seat-belt reminders are rated Marginal; LATCH ease of use is Acceptable. IIHS says changes to the front underbody structure and footwell of 2025 models built after April 2025 were intended to improve occupant safety in small-overlap crashes. The Institute also notes that some ratings are based on tests conducted by Tesla.
That award and those ratings should not be applied to earlier build dates without qualification. They are evidence about the stated tests and eligible vehicles, not a general ranking of every Cybertruck or a direct answer about injury risk to someone outside the vehicle.
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Pedestrian collision prevention
On its 2026 page, IIHS reports Good pedestrian front crash prevention ratings for 2025–27 models. In the listed scenarios, the system avoided collisions with crossing-child targets in daytime tests and adult targets in several nighttime tests. Those results describe collision-avoidance performance under test conditions. They do not measure the injury severity of a person struck, and they do not resolve the separate concerns about exterior stiffness or shape.
Is the Cybertruck dangerous for pedestrians or other road users?
The cited expert comments identify plausible concerns about the consequences of a collision: a stiff exterior could affect a person’s injuries, while the vehicle’s weight and acceleration prompted concern about risks to people outside it. But the cited reporting does not establish a comparative pedestrian or cyclist injury rate, nor does it prove that the Cybertruck causes more harm than another vehicle in a real-world collision.
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IIHS’s pedestrian front crash prevention results address whether the system avoids certain test collisions. They should not be treated as evidence about the severity of an impact if avoidance fails. Likewise, an occupant-protection rating in a specified crash test does not, by itself, answer how compatible the vehicle would be with a smaller or less-stiff vehicle in every crash.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Cybertruck recalls: affected conditions and remedies
Recall campaigns concern particular vehicles, parts, software versions or installed equipment. Their stated population figures are not crash rates or comparative safety scores. The following conditions and remedies are described in Tesla’s recall information, NHTSA campaign records or, for the 2026 wheel recall, Associated Press reporting. They do not establish that every Cybertruck is affected.
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|---|---|---|
| Accelerator pedal trim | Certain 2024 Cybertrucks manufactured November 13, 2023 through April 4, 2024; Tesla’s recall information | The accelerator pad may dislodge under high force and become trapped in trim above the pedal. Tesla says it will rework or replace the assembly at no charge. |
| Stainless-steel cantrail panel | Certain 2024 and 2025 Cybertrucks manufactured November 13, 2023 through February 27, 2025; Tesla’s recall information and Part 573 filing | The panel may delaminate and separate, creating a road hazard. Tesla says it will replace the assembly at no charge and directs owners to VIN lookup. Tesla’s filing listed 46,096 potentially involved vehicles and said that, as of March 14, 2025, it was not aware of related collisions, fatalities or injuries. |
| Front parking-lamp intensity | Certain 2024–26 Cybertrucks built November 13, 2023 through October 11, 2025, with software earlier than version 2025.38.3; Tesla’s recall information | The front parking lamps could exceed the maximum intensity permitted by FMVSS 108. The stated remedy is software version 2025.38.3 or later. |
| Service-installed off-road light bar | NHTSA campaign 25V735, dated October 29, 2025: 6,197 potentially affected 2024 Cybertrucks with the service-installed accessory | An incorrect primer could allow the bar to loosen and detach. The remedy is a free inspection and additional mechanical attachment or replacement as needed. |
| 18-inch steel-wheel rotor and stud | 173 2024–26 Cybertrucks, according to Associated Press reporting in May 2026 | Rotor cracks could allow a wheel stud to separate from the hub and affect controllability. The reported free remedy replaces rotors, hubs and lug nuts. |
How to check a Cybertruck’s recall status
Because campaigns are limited to specified vehicles and conditions, check the individual vehicle rather than assuming that a model-year description alone confirms whether a repair is needed.
Quick Recap
- Find the vehicle identification number (VIN) and check it through Tesla’s recall information or NHTSA’s VIN lookup.
- Review any open campaign and confirm that the VIN, installed equipment or software condition applies to the vehicle.
- Follow the listed remedy and confirm with Tesla whether the repair or software update has been completed.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
