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The fall semester started with a bit of intrigue for many at Utica University, especially among those who frequent the area near parking lot A where a Tesla Cybertruck is regularly parked.
Mystery solved: Construction Management Professor Audrey Cross is the proud owner.
“It’s a head turner for sure,” explained Cross, who said daily drives bring excitement to passersby. “I’ve had little kids pointing and screaming ‘it’s a Cybertruck!’ and wanting me to honk the horn.”
Cross put down a $100 deposit in November 2019 and picked up the car over the summer. Originally priced at $55,000, the final cost increased dramatically over five years due to changes in the economy and the increase in production and material costs. Today, her Foundation Series Cybertruck is worth around $100,000.
“I had a RAM Big Horn before this, a Dodge, I loved it. However the maintenance on it was awful,” Cross said. “After having to deal with the costly maintenance every year, it was a major gas guzzler. In the long run, the cybertruck is a major savings. I’m going to have this vehicle for the next ten to fifteen years at least.”
Unsurprisingly, the truck has a lot of cool features, including a full light show with music that sounds like a villain entering a movie scene. Also interesting is the“ frunk;” the hood of the truck lifts up revealing a front trunk that resembles a bench.
“Something that I don’t think a lot of people realize is that there is a Tesla Powerwall,” said Cross, explaining that It takes the energy from the national grid and stores it, so if the power goes out she can plug into her truck and use it as a source of electricity. “It’s a giant generator.”
A big misconception surrounding the Cybertruck is its autopilot feature, causing many to think the driver could be sleeping or reading at the wheel and that is false, according to Cross. The vehicle uses built-in software and there are about nine cameras and several sensors placed throughout the car.
“It uses artificial intelligence on the road to make sure it’s staying on the road in the lines,” Cross said. “ It’s not to the point where we are in one of those futuristic movies where we just get in and go. When set in auto pilot, it’s just an assistance. You still need to keep your hands on the wheel. Actually, if you take your hands off the wheel at the wrong time the screen will flash and beep like crazy and the wheel will start to shake, saying your hands need to be back on the wheel.”
Cross tested the autopilot in different driving settings, but feels safer driving the car manually, especially in a city setting where everything is “touch and go.”
Because many YouTube car content creators focus on negative aspects of Cybertrucks, Cross wants to spread factual information on the vehicle. Owning the car has brought her a sense of pride and excitement, and she loves seeing that excitement in others when she drives by them.
Cross even joked that for five bucks she is willing to take faculty and staff for rides around campus.
“I love it very much,” Cross said. “I hope to see more in the area.”
