Cybertruck is NOT aerodynamically efficient - why the shape?

[MichaelP90DL]

No need. the F117 had radar absorbing paint and other counter measures for radar. It had the radar silhouette of a small bird.

True, it did. However, the initial radar tests of the Hopeless Diamond at Area 51 had nothing more than just the flat metal panels welded into the shape of the proposed aircraft. They put it on top of a pole and aimed radar at it. And there was nothing. Once the prototype aircraft was built, it flew by a missile battery at low altitude; the system's radar saw zilch. The deflection shape is the primary means of scattering radar. Radar-absorbing paint would have a minor benefit.

 

[Propwash]

Just for safety's sake I'll take along my Valentine radar detector .

 

[Saghost]

Like the B-1 it will be stealth to CHP Radar

That front plate facing slightly downward looks like it’ll bounce a signal back off of the ground in front of the truck quite clearly.

That will only give a clean return for a block of ranges based on the geometry of the situation. Might be important ranges, might not.

 

[mspohr]

That front plate facing slightly downward looks like it’ll bounce a signal back off of the ground in front of the truck quite clearly.

That will only give a clean return for a block of ranges based on the geometry of the situation. Might be important ranges, might not.

I think the stealthiness comes from the flat surfaces which bounce radar off away from rather than back toward the receiver.

 

[SSonnentag]

Hopefully the CT isn't invisible to the TACC radar.

 

[Saghost]

I think the stealthiness comes from the flat surfaces which bounce radar off away from rather than back toward the receiver.

Yup. But there’s this massive plate on the nose that points just slightly down from straight ahead. That will reflect a signal from ahead down slightly, and it will bounce back off the ground and upwards.

For a certain group of ranges, it’ll go right back to the transmitter.

 

[mspohr]

Yup. But there’s this massive plate on the nose that points just slightly down from straight ahead. That will reflect a signal from ahead down slightly, and it will bounce back off the ground and upwards.

For a certain group of ranges, it’ll go right back to the transmitter.

It will be interesting to see how it reflects.
I think Tesla was more interested in aerodynamics than stealth.

 

[Doc Brown]

The F117 also carried no radar itself - and was (and is) aerodynamically unstable. The CT is loaded with electronic emitting devices for adaptive cruise, etc., for one, and LiDAR has a much easier time defeating contemporary stealth technology. Wishful thinking, that the faceted design will somehow make you less—likely to fall victim to a LiDAR gun.

 

[MichaelP90DL]

The F117 also carried no radar itself - and was (and is) aerodynamically unstable. The CT is loaded with electronic emitting devices for adaptive cruise, etc., for one, and LiDAR has a much easier time defeating contemporary stealth technology. Wishful thinking, that the faceted design will somehow make you less—likely to fall victim to a LiDAR gun.

That's true. Laser is a different animal from radar. There are active jammers that are purported to be effective against laser but my guess is they need to be mounted low on the grille area, since police aim them at license plates or headlights, which offer the best reflectivity. If someone wants to beat laser, angle the plate to bounce the signal away from the gun and use an active laser jammer. One advantage to the driver is: laser cannot be fired from a moving vehicle. And with any luck, your radar-laser detector will alert you. The problem is, laser has a really narrow beam and your detector, if mounted on the windshield, may not "see" it.