It seems the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration isn’t sure if Tesla’s new steering wheel design is legal.
The regulator told Road & Track: “At this time, NHTSA cannot determine if the steering wheel meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards,” the agency told R&T. “We will be reaching out to the automaker for more information.”
Tesla released photos last week of a refreshed Model S, which features interior updates like a horizontal screen and a half-circle steering wheel. Tesla has teased the same half-circle design for the upcoming Roadster.
While it’s not clear how the U.S. government will sound off on the steering wheel design, Road & Track said the design is “dumber than a box of rocks.”
“Every human with a driver’s license is used to having a complete loop for steering duties,” the report said. “Re-training our brains to compensate for a 50-percent-off steering yoke shouldn’t be necessary to safely operate a $70,000 luxury sedan.”