Tesla plans to activate the Active Noise Cancellation feature on its Cybertruck vehicles through an upcoming software update. The feature, already equipped with necessary hardware, will be available for Premium All-Wheel-Drive and Cyberbeast trims. It aims to reduce low-frequency road noise using microphones and anti-noise sound waves.
Tesla has added Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) to the specification sheets for its Premium All-Wheel-Drive and Cyberbeast Cybertruck trims on its website, signaling an imminent over-the-air software update to enable the feature. Deliveries of these trims began in November 2023, but ANC has remained disabled despite the hardware being installed from the factory.
According to Tesla's Service Toolbox, "ANC software is not enabled on Cybertruck even though the hardware is installed." The system, which Tesla introduced in the Model S and Model X in 2021, employs microphones embedded in the front seat headrests to detect low-frequency road noise entering the cabin. It then generates phase-inverted sound waves, or anti-noise, to cancel out or reduce the noise, creating quieter zones especially for front occupants. While the Model S and Model X use six microphones, the Cybertruck relies on four.
The Cybertruck's unique design has likely contributed to delays in activation. Sources note challenges from its heavier all-terrain tires, massive glass roof, echoing aluminum castings, and overall acoustics, requiring tuning to address specific road noise frequencies. Once enabled, ANC will function similarly to noise-cancelling headphones, using cabin microphones and wheel accelerometers to monitor rumble and tire hum, then emitting counteracting waves through the vehicle's 15-speaker audio system.
This update will apply to all existing Cybertrucks in the eligible trims via software, benefiting owners regardless of purchase date. However, the recently launched Dual Motor All-Wheel-Drive configuration, priced at $59,990, will not include ANC, as it features only seven speakers to achieve its lower cost.