New Delhi, August 12: A strange incident involving Elon Musk-run Tesla went viral on social media platforms. An Instagram user claimed that his alleged Tesla Cybertruck was remotely deactivated while driving down a busy highway. Is the incident real or fake? It was rumoured that the incident was linked to an unauthorised music video.
An Instagram user (@bighuey313) shared a short clip of his supposed deactivated Tesla Cybertruck with a warning screen, which read “Tesla Cybertruck de-activated.” The caption of the post read, “Dog wtf my cybertruck just shut off on the freeway! Almost just crashed wtf @teslamotors” The clip appears to be filmed in the middle of traffic. Could Tesla really have done this remotely? Or was it a well-staged stunt? The viral video might have left many waiting for the company’s response. The user also shared what he described as a cease and desist letter, allegedly from Tesla’s vice president of legal affairs, Dinna Eskin. In the letter, it reportedly stated, “We represent Tesla and are writing to formally address the unauthorized use of Tesla’s intellectual property in musical content distributed under your name.”
‘Cybertruck Just Shut Off on the Freeway’
‘A Cease & Desist Letter From Tesla’
X User Says ‘It’s Likely a YouTube Video or Something Just Playing on Full Screen To Look Like a Legitimate Error’
This video is going viral of a Cybertruck “de-activated” in the middle of the road. What’s wild is a lot of people are believing it. People’s hate for Tesla and Elon Musk seems to shadow their critical thinking skills.
It’s likely a YouTube video or something just playing on… pic.twitter.com/HJr00Umjbu
— Jeremy Judkins (@jeremyjudkins_) August 11, 2025
Tesla Says ‘This Is Fake – That’s Not Our Screen’
This is fake – that’s not our screen.
Tesla does NOT disable vehicles remotely. https://t.co/QFOLG74AJI
— Tesla (@Tesla) August 11, 2025
Tesla Denies Claims of Cybertruck Remote Deactivation
The post quickly went viral, but was the incident as shocking as it sounded? Many viewers might be left wondering if such a move by Tesla was even possible. Was a Tesla Cybertruck remotely deactivated on a highway after its owner allegedly used it in an unauthorised music video?
There is said to be some inconsistencies in the letter. It listed Dinna Eskin’s former title, “Sr. Director and Deputy General Counsel,” instead of her current role as VP. One X user also said, “It’s likely a YouTube video or something just playing on full screen to look like a legitimate error.” Tesla later addressed the matter and said, “This is fake – that’s not our screen. Tesla does not disable vehicles remotely.”
Fact check
Claim :
An Instagram user claimed his supposed Tesla Cybertruck was remotely deactivated on a busy highway, allegedly linked to an unauthorised music video. The user also shared an alleged cease and desist letter from Tesla and addressed the unauthorised use of their intellectual property in the video.
Conclusion :
Tesla dismissed the viral video as fake, clarified that the Cybertruck screen shown was not theirs, and stated that they do not remotely disable vehicles. Inconsistencies in the cease and desist letter further fueled doubts, suggesting the incident was likely staged or misleading.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 12, 2025 05:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website todaynews24.top).
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