Tesla Semi program lead Dan Priestley shared footage of the electric truck sliding on icy roads before its stability system restored control. The demonstration highlights the vehicle's multi-motor torque management on low-traction surfaces.
Priestley posted the clip and described the Vehicle Dynamics Control system, which uses high-resolution sensors and in-house multi-motor controls to deliver torque and stability on winter surfaces. He noted that the trailer carried a loaded configuration with concrete blocks and steel bars during the test.
The system monitors wheel speed, steering angle, and lateral forces, then adjusts power to individual wheels through an 800-kilowatt tri-motor setup rated at 1,072 horsepower. Electric motors allow torque changes in microseconds, faster than conventional hydraulic systems on diesel trucks.
Tesla has stated since 2017 that the design makes the Semi impossible to jackknife. The video arrives as production ramps at the Nevada plant, where the first high-volume truck rolled off the line in April and annual capacity targets reach 50,000 units.
