This high-tech tent can prevent cybertrucks from being paralyzed by EMP attacks

As Tesla’s Cybertrucks increasingly hit public roads, the electric vehicle industry seems to have moved one step closer to becoming increasingly complex computers on wheels. But given the recent threats of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attacks – against Israel by Iran or the United States by Russia – and the recent film ISSThe attention of many electric vehicle owners is focused on the possibility of a malicious actor using a device that disables all electronic systems in an explosive area.

In response, a Santa Barbara, California-based company called Mission Darkness recently unveiled a tent called Cybercylent, specifically designed to protect Cybertrucks from EMP attacks.

Mission Darkness developed a proprietary nickel-copper coating applied to polyester to prevent radiation from penetrating, and called the result “TitanRF Faraday Fabric.” The tent then uses adhesives to prevent sewing from creating tiny holes in the fabric, and the doors require three rows of neodymium magnets to reduce the chance of accidental waves or wrinkles in the material. Mission Darkness spent a year developing the door alone, but also uses tiny waveguides for the vents, which are essentially dense waffle grids that compress radiation wavelengths to the point where they can’t penetrate. Carbon fiber for the frame and mounts makes the tents lightweight and easy to set up, ideal for customers looking to install a cybercylent in their garage.

Ryan Judy, founder of Mission Darkness, readily admits that naming the tech tent Cybertruck is mostly for marketing reasons, as every vehicle in the modern era is at risk of failing due to an EMP attack. So while the marketing imagery is mostly focused on the doom and prepper mentality, Judy has actually already sold a few tents to Tesla itself, allowing engineers to use the shielded space to test app connectivity in a completely neutral environment. This is possible because the TitanRF Faraday Fabric blocks 5G, 2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, RFID, and traditional radio signals.

Tests of the TitanRF Faraday fabric show that it meets the U.S. military’s standardized protection standard MIL-STD-188-125-1, which is a theoretical attempt to mimic the penetration of electromagnetic energy in the 30 MHz to 1 GHz frequency range. To be clear, there has been no known EMP attack by a malicious actor to date, nor have any electric vehicles been affected. And these EMP protection tents aren’t cheap: A Cybercylent tent starts at $15,000, and Mission Darkness also sells many different sizes, many of which suggest that the company’s primary source of revenue is serving far more government agencies than private citizens.

Judy founded Mission Darkness in 2015. The company specializes in providing law enforcement and the military with technology that blocks all types of radiation. Think of smartphones confiscated from criminals or terrorists, full of data that could potentially be remotely erased. Mission Darkness builds compartments and boxes that allow law enforcement to maintain the chain of custody while keeping phones charged while software attempts to crack a smartphone’s password.

In addition, numerous branches of the military use Mission Darkness tents, cases, boxes and fabrics to protect communications hardware, create secure assembly areas in the field, isolate suspects or prisoners, and even protect the highly sensitive optics of firearms.

The same technology is also being sold to businesses and individuals, including cell phone cases, computer cases, larger bags for devices like generators, and even yards of nickel-copper-coated fabric used between layers of drywall in home construction. The latter is also true for government buildings currently being constructed—but not for the hats and beanies sold by Mission Darkness, which look more like a real-life version of the proverbial tinfoil-hat-wearing conspiracy theorists.

While it’s not entirely unreasonable to worry about EMP events orchestrated by malicious actors, the likelihood is low. Still, a recent report from a government-funded EMP commission estimated that up to 90% of Americans would die within a year of a major high-altitude EMP attack. And solar flares or volcanic eruptions can also cause electromagnetic pulses.

Of course, the idea of ​​driving a Cybertruck through the potential post-apocalyptic desert created by an EMP seems utterly absurd. But the image fits perfectly with the marketing of the Cybercylent tent and, to some extent, the dystopian aesthetic of the Cybertruck itself. And despite the improbability, the price, and the delivery times of around six weeks for customers ordering a Cybercylent, Mission Darkness can’t build the tents fast enough.