That sounds like a pain in the A** for Tesla and expensive too. Customers would probably be happy since they would have a choice for yoke or no yoke. They should just let customers decide before delivery. Yoke for me..
-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
2021 refresh Model S sightings, steering yoke vs. steering wheel discussion
- Thread starter eipi10
- Start date
MarcG
Active Member
Road & Track, which is a pretty established and respected car magazine/publication. From NHSTA’s response to R&T’s inquiry below from late-Jan, it sounded like they were going to be investigating. All I was saying is I hadn’t seen an update on that.
NHTSA Has No Idea Whether Tesla's Half Steering Wheel Is Legal
Elon Musk showed an updated Tesla Model S with a bizarre half-circle steering yoke. The U.S. federal agency on automotive safety can't yet say whether it's legal.
www.roadandtrack.com
“Road & Track reached out to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to find out whether Tesla's half-a-steering-wheel is actually legal in the U.S. Judging by the statement we received from NHTSA, nobody really knows. "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."
It does strike me as odd that they’d be testing, what seems to be, many more Ss with a regular steering wheel vs the yoke. All of them have the new screen(s) as far as we can tell. No vents, etc. but very few have a yoke. Why? Well, no one knows, but I would think if that were the “base” steering option, that’s what we’d see more of in the wild.
On the round wheels, I was thinking if they are building mules on the s-line, then maybe they simply didn't want to take the time to teach the robots to install the yoke wheel.
I also would not read too much into panel gaps and alignment on the mules, they are being used to test mechanicals, components and other SW, they are not being used to test build quality, so it probably is a bit slap-dash.
I also would not read too much into panel gaps and alignment on the mules, they are being used to test mechanicals, components and other SW, they are not being used to test build quality, so it probably is a bit slap-dash.
HabitualUser
Member
Man, a surprising amount of Tesla hate on this thread...
Anyways, the yoke is coming for all plaid variants - deal with it. Why would Tesla be afraid of any alleged NHTSA opinion? They are toothless. Look at Autopilot - especially with the beta-testing of the newest build - do you think NHTSA "approved" it beforehand? l prefer Tesla's attitude of putting their new tech out there and letting the idiot regulators try and keep up. If they waited for approval for everything, they'd have to deal with politics and opinions of people who don't necessarily have safety in mind.
Anyways, the yoke is coming for all plaid variants - deal with it. Why would Tesla be afraid of any alleged NHTSA opinion? They are toothless. Look at Autopilot - especially with the beta-testing of the newest build - do you think NHTSA "approved" it beforehand? l prefer Tesla's attitude of putting their new tech out there and letting the idiot regulators try and keep up. If they waited for approval for everything, they'd have to deal with politics and opinions of people who don't necessarily have safety in mind.
AMPd
Well-Known Member
When I took a factory tour the steering wheel was installed by hand, not robots.
NHTSA is toothless? Is that why Tesla decided to fix the emmc issue only after NHTSA suggested it?
Cheburashka
Active Member
Lol. The starting comment on this is what mod decided was the best one to start with for this thread after being pulled out from the other thread?
In that case,
The newer quote on the NHTSA review of the yoke would seem to be this from March 4 (source)
The NHTSA is very much not toothless. It ensures cars are in compliance with and has broad enforcement authority for the FMVSS. And, no, Tesla is not being some cowboy here, the NHTSA does not pre-approve new technologies before introduction, but if questions arise, it is incumbent on manufacturers to show compliance with FMVSS. If a manufacturer has doubts about FMVSS compliance, they can ask the NHTSA for a letter of interpretation, an exemption or a rule change. It appears like Tesla is going through that process now.
samgabbay94
5 hours ago·edited 4 hours ago
From the previous thread:
5 hours ago·edited 4 hours ago
From the previous thread:
- Confirmed to ship with the round steering wheel. Yoke will be a retrofit after regulatory approval. Choice will be given before delivery which wheel you want when that’s handled.
- “Smart Shift” can be turned off. Controls are on both the screen and the steering wheel. Nothing on the pad below the phone charger. The right most button on the wheel acting as a kind of a gear shifter. Clicking once will bring up a prompt on the screen. You will then scroll to which gear you want and click in. The right scroll wheel button is mainly used for Autopilot. So when it’s not in use, it can be used for gear shifting.
- Screen can tilt both ways.
- V11 looks insane (mode).
- This is the “Plaid” model. See battery level at 361 and close to its 100% limit. Total battery mileage on Plaid is 390mi. Putting the current battery level at 92-93% in the photo.
- Car has FSD Beta. Indicated by the Camera icon on the screen, next to WiFi/Bluetooth and HomeLink.
Hayseed_MS
Spreader of "Endless Non Sequitur"
Means we are getting closer.
Do think that it is the Long Range version. Wood trim and no rear spoiler (which they have installed on Plaid testers at the factory).
Do think that it is the Long Range version. Wood trim and no rear spoiler (which they have installed on Plaid testers at the factory).
BigNick
Infamous Fat Sweaty Guy
Chill, Sport and Insane acceleration modes. Tells me this is an LR+ and not a Plaid, but it also has Drag Strip Mode. Interesting.
AMPd
Well-Known Member
That’s one ugly steering wheel...
JCtx
Member
A yoke wheel would be super dangerous with the typical 1-turn lock (2 turns lock to lock) that Teslas have (at least our 2021 M3 LR). And still dangerous even with a 1/4-turn lock, to make it easy not to remove the hands from the wheel, due to ultra quick steering (you sneeze at highway speeds,and BAM!). My take is there was no regulation against it because nobody thought an automaker was going to be crazy enough to think about that. Ha ha. My guess is it won't pass regulation; not even close. Having said that, Tesla needs to at least use stitching on the steering wheel, like they did on my M3 LR (even when it's not leather anymore).
So the new Model S has a transmission, like the Taycan??? Is it a 2-sp as well? I wasn't aware of that. Or is it just the plaid, to reach 200 mph? Thx.
So the new Model S has a transmission, like the Taycan??? Is it a 2-sp as well? I wasn't aware of that. Or is it just the plaid, to reach 200 mph? Thx.
While I love most of the changes in the Model S, the "Yoke" thing is joke. It's a friggen 4 door sedan. The thought of it on a 4-door SUV (Model X) is even more ridiculous. But, Elon is one that simply doesn't care what the "norm" is. He'll do what he wants anyway. Except when enough people jump up and get loud about certain issues, then they'll correct them. At a minimum, but Joke Yoke needs to be optional. Sounds like they don't have regulatory approval for it yet anyway. But even after it comes, still needs to be an option. Will certainly turn off many buyers.
My only other grip is the screen. I had a Model 3 and hated having it horizontal. Was a struggle to see things on the far right side of the screen while driving. Given, the S screen is larger, but that just means the far right side will be even further away. I went back to a Model S and love the vertical screen. It's all very easy to see from top to bottom and nothing is too far away. Of course will have to see it in person, but having experience with the Model 3's screen, it's unlikely that the new screen will be something I change my mind on.
Would like to have seen some additional, more definitive exterior updates, but what they did change was a change for the better. The rest of the interior appears to be notable improvement. Not sure the little mini-screen in the rear will have any "practical" use.
My only other grip is the screen. I had a Model 3 and hated having it horizontal. Was a struggle to see things on the far right side of the screen while driving. Given, the S screen is larger, but that just means the far right side will be even further away. I went back to a Model S and love the vertical screen. It's all very easy to see from top to bottom and nothing is too far away. Of course will have to see it in person, but having experience with the Model 3's screen, it's unlikely that the new screen will be something I change my mind on.
Would like to have seen some additional, more definitive exterior updates, but what they did change was a change for the better. The rest of the interior appears to be notable improvement. Not sure the little mini-screen in the rear will have any "practical" use.
46&2
Member
The advantage of being able to see the dash screen better is exactly the same in the X. Free view, regarding both screens, as much screen real estate as possible. Funny you mention the far right corner in the Model 3, but cannot see the advantage of a yoke, regarding to this.
Hayseed_MS
Spreader of "Endless Non Sequitur"
It will turn off many buyers - but it will also turn on many buyers. Looking cautiously optimistic to it.
We do not know where the screen starts so we cannot say it will be farther to the right. It may be positioned farther to the left and the outermost corner may be closer than its M3 counterpart. Cannot say.
The mini screen definitively has a practical use - especially if it is for climate control and such. But not everyone will see practical use as a game monitor.
Similar threads
- Locked
- Marketplace listing
- Locked
- Marketplace listing