No, Tesla Didn’t Remotely Shut Down A Cybertruck On The Highway: ‘This Is Fake’

Social media users quickly flagged inconsistencies in the viral post, pointing to formatting errors in the alleged legal letter and a warning display that did not match Tesla’s standard interface.

Tesla on Monday dismissed a viral social media video purporting to show a Cybertruck being remotely deactivated on a highway, calling the footage fabricated.

“This is fake – that’s not our screen. Tesla does NOT disable vehicles remotely,” the company posted on X.

The video, originally shared Sunday by an Instagram user, showed what appeared to be the truck’s central touchscreen flashing a red warning message and claimed the shutdown was linked to the owner’s appearance in an unauthorized music video. 

The post was accompanied by an image of what was described as a cease-and-desist letter from Tesla’s Vice President of Legal Affairs, Dinna Eskin.

The clip spread rapidly on BlueSky, X, and Reddit, fueled in part by anti-Elon Musk sentiment, The Verge reported.

However, social media users noted multiple inconsistencies: the letter’s opening “We represent Tesla” despite being signed by in-house counsel, the use of Eskin’s outdated title, and a warning display that did not match Tesla’s standard interface. 

Some speculated the alert was a full-screen YouTube video designed to mimic a system error.

The viral controversy also comes on the heels of the U.S. Air Force deciding to procure a couple of Cybertrucks as target vehicles due to their unique and tough exterior.

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for Tesla was ‘extremely bullish’ amid ‘low’ message volume.

Tesla’s stock has declined 16% so far in 2025.

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