About that "yoke" steering wheel

[GZDongles]

I'm willing to be convinced - it does look very space-age - but I will contain my enthusiasm until thousands of more adventurous folk have played with it for a year or two and commented on it.
Those hidden buttons have GOT to be a bad thing, and if the yoke is fly by wire with variable "gain" on the turning circle I can see many issues where the driver is unsure of where the car's going to point in traffic. As for the car effectively telling the driver whether it's going to go forward or back, talk about a solution to a non-existent problem!

That's exactly my issue with the changes! They are solutions to non-existent problems. Every other radical UI/control system change we've had in the Model S or Model 3 before this was to improve functionality or usability. I'm just not convinced that there is anything to be gained from the new wheel or especially from the new button controls on the wheel. As someone who has worked on airplane cockpit design before for high-end business jets, there is a lot of bad design practice going on here.

I'm hopeful the AI PRND isn't a nightmare, but all it takes is one botched multi-point turn in a crowded parking lot to piss off the users and erase the time savings from normal operation. Again, it's a move with very limited upside and significant downside. Sure, if it works perfectly it'll be a minor convenience, but there is a lot of risk of operator backlash here. Any touchscreen implementation of shifting is going to be less convenient if the driver has to look at a screen to make sure they are selecting the right button. Critical functions need tactile feedback or different activation mechanisms than non critical functions.

 

[Hayseed_MS]

How do we know this is not an improvement in functionality or usability? No one has yet to see it or use it. All conjecture - some, based on other experience mind you - but still conjecture.

Elon stated that it could be overridden on the touchscreen. He did not say the gear could be selected on the touchscreen. "Overriden" could just mean that the AI feature can be turned off or on via the touchscreen. There may still be buttons in the center dash. I have not had a vehicle with stalk mounted gear selector for the last 8 cars. Willing to give this a chance - being cautiously optimistic. I amy be all wrong here but willing to try it and then make the judgement.

 

[Wol747]

Elon stated that it could be overridden on the touchscreen. He did not say the gear could be selected on the touchscreen. "Overriden" could just mean that the AI feature can be turned off or on via the touchscreen. There may still be buttons in the center dash. I have not had a vehicle with stalk mounted gear selector for the last 8 cars. Willing to give this a chance - being cautiously optimistic. I amy be all wrong here but willing to try it and then make the judgement.

I'll bet you haven't had a car without SOME means of selecting fwd/rev for the last 8 cars!

I'm wondering if Tesla are expecting the car to drive itself, and the yoke is a push-on like a F1 car and will be discarded when FSD comes about. (Say in 30 years?)

 

[Rogue Synapse]

Speaking of push-on yoke, I wonder if pushing or pulling on the yoke could be an alternative means of selecting R or D.

 

[brucet999]

Could be worse:

View attachment 632502

Does that come in a chrome delete version.

 

[Hayseed_MS]

I'll bet you haven't had a car without SOME means of selecting fwd/rev for the last 8 cars!

I'm wondering if Tesla are expecting the car to drive itself, and the yoke is a push-on like a F1 car and will be discarded when FSD comes about. (Say in 30 years?)

Of course - every car has had selection. This will too. People are jumping on the wagon without knowing facts. I do not know the facts yet so I am holding final judgement.

 

[domodan]

Speaking of push-on yoke, I wonder if pushing or pulling on the yoke could be an alternative means of selecting R or D.

That was my first thought. If implemented properly it could be kind of cool. I see lots of opportunity for accidental engagement though.

 

[Ofarlig]

I'll bet you haven't had a car without SOME means of selecting fwd/rev for the last 8 cars!

I'm wondering if Tesla are expecting the car to drive itself, and the yoke is a push-on like a F1 car and will be discarded when FSD comes about. (Say in 30 years?)

This car will have selections too, if it touch buttons or touch screen is yet to be seen though. I don't see it being much different from when I had to move from a center console gear shifter to a steering column mounted one when I first got a Tesla. I had never used that before and it was weird but you get used to it.

I for sure see the benefits of having no stalks.

 

[domodan]

This car will have selections too, if it touch buttons or touch screen is yet to be seen though. I don't see it being much different from when I had to move from a center console gear shifter to a steering column mounted one when I first got a Tesla. I had never used that before and it was weird but you get used to it.

I for sure see the benefits of having no stalks.

Okay then, what are the benefits of having no stalks? Shifting far too convenient? Toggling the high beams and windows shield wipers is far too quick and easy? I’m sincerely interested to what you clearly are as benefits in not having those things.

 

[Ofarlig]

Okay then, what are the benefits of having no stalks? Shifting far too convenient? Toggling the high beams and windows shield wipers is far too quick and easy? I’m sincerely interested to what you clearly are as benefits in not having those things.

They are clutter? The same reason I don't want my seat heaters to be physical buttons.

As for wipers/autopilot and such I would much rather have that as thumb buttons as on the new S, why would I need a stalk for that? Buttons (physical or not) instead of a stalk for shifting isn't really less convenient it is just different, just like a steering column shifter is different as well.

The one thing that I can see as less convenient is indicators depending on the yoke solution Tesla have chosen. If you need to turn it a lot in roundabouts it might be annoying to indicate out of it.

 

[46&2]

isn't really less convenient it is just different

Yes!

Driving through roundabouts, I'd really love to be able to activate turn signals without having to let go off the steering wheel because of the old-school-stalk not coming with my hand. Never driven a Ferrari, but these guys can do what I want. Now Tesla will join the club.

 

[Altes]

If the yoke doesn't turn more than 90 degrees (if even that), why do you need a wheel? Are you not considering the possibility of proportional steering control based on speed driven by software?

What is this magic you speak of...? I think we must reign in the Yoke

 

[Rogue Synapse]

That was my first thought. If implemented properly it could be kind of cool. I see lots of opportunity for accidental engagement though.

Agreed. I would imagine that inputs are blocked above some nominal speed, similar to current stalk inputs. But still could imagine leaning on the wheel or something while stopped and not realizing you've switched to reverse (I imagine that pulling the yoke is drive and pushing is reverse, for some reason)

 

[brucet999]

Of course - every car has had selection. This will too. People are jumping on the wagon without knowing facts. I do not know the facts yet so I am holding final judgement.

Reportedly, there are gear selecter buttons on the center console near the phone dock.

 

[Daniellane]

Apparently stalks will also be an option.

 

[1965Cobra427]

As I think about the yoke switches, I am reminded of my 2010 Brammo electric motorcycle.

The Headlight (High/Low/Park/flash), Turn signal and 4 Way Flasher, and horn are on the left grip.
The right side has power (on/off) and front brake. Being electric it didn't need a shifter or clutch.
All the controls can be operated without taking one's hands off the handlebars or eyes off the road.

Although the geometry was different than a car, the functions are there and it's easy to use.
In addition to the above, my Honda Gold Wing also had radio and CB controls, Cruise control, GPS, passenger intercom and a button for the electric reverse gear. None of these controls presented any particular difficulty to use.

I know an electric bike is not the same as an electric car, but I'm only talking about how common it is to operate everything without the need for stalks. Bikers have been doing it for many years.

 

[thebishop]

Agree, although bikers (rarely) turn the handles upside-down ;-)

 

[Hayseed_MS]

Agree, although bikers (rarely) turn the handles upside-down ;-)

At least not on purpose...

 

[Maybe22]

If you look at the seams between the center steering device and either the yoke perimeter or the regular steering wheel (in the infamous picture that Tesla deleted on earnings day), it looks like a good chance the exterior piece is removable and replaceable, suggesting that either TESLA will offer both or, in the worst case if you have the yoke and hate it, it will be easy to switch in an after-market full perimeter wheel. Maybe wishful thinking but that's what it looks like to me....

 

[JimHarris]

Bottom line is no one should buy one until they have test driven it. It could be an improvement or it could be a total nightmare that you have to use for 4 years. 5 minutes driving it around the Tesla parking lot and parking will let you know immediately if it is a deal breaker or not, and then I suppose you can pay them for a normal steering wheel upgrade, lol