I hope they will do something about the turn ratio. It is very bad trying too make a U-turn. The luck part is we are supposed to turn slowly without losing grip. Terrible design.
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An honest review of the yoke
- Thread starter Bub.com
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- yoke steering
My take on the yoke, stalks and functions after having my car for 3 months:
The yoke looks and feels really cool. The sense of openness in the cabin while driving is really something special. I prepped myself by placing coflex tape on my prior MS for a couple of months before I got my refresh, and found the change to the yoke just fine. I use a different technique for the holding and turning of the yoke, for which I am now well-adapted, with specific grips for turns that I just can't take the time to explain here. In simplest turns, lots of very specific grabbing hand over hand.
For the most part, The yoke is a pleasure to use. Now, the key words here are "most part". If you are driving gingerly in the city or down the highway, it is fine. Also, if you are making occasional turns, U-turns, backing into spots and 3-point turns, it is also fine. I do a TON of those every day and have perfect ease of use with it. Now, if you are driving aggressively in traffic, needing to make many lane changes and fast turns, then the yoke just feels sloppy. Now, imagine a near collision where you have to maneuver quickly to safe yourself. There is absolutely, and unarguably, a distinct benefit to having a piece of the wheel to grab always in the same exact place. That is only achievable with a round wheel. Knowing that however you move the wheel, you can grab it at any spot, at any time, without any thought, is just plain safer. Again, I got this yoke stuff down, and love it. Yet, I remain fearful of a complex series of incidents in dangerous situations where control can easily be lost. If Tesla was to offer me a free "upgrade" to a wheel, would I take it? Maybe. It would definitely take some thought.
Turn signals: Meh. The turn signals are not that easy to use, but not terrible. I do find that I miss sometimes, which would never, ever, happen with stalks. Stalks are, without question, easier. The buttons are not terrible, but definitely no huge advantage here. My thoughts: whatever. I can take it or leave it. They are fine.
Gear selection: F'ing dangerous! As I posted in another thread, I nearly got myself killed by this STUPID screen selection system. I was backing up into a tight charging spot in a driveway, and had to maneuver to fit. I had to pull into the street to align myself, then back in. Suddenly, there was heavy traffic coming. I "threw it into reverse", tapped on the pedal, and lurched forward! I simply did not take enough time and dedication to specifically swipe 100% down on the screen and ensure "in gear". Sloppy on my part, yes. Traffic was coming and I wanted to get out of the way quickly. This absolutely would never happen with stalks. Even dials or floor shifters are more secure. Face it, touching the screen is just not easy while driving. Tesla does not get that. IMHO, this is almost justification for a recall and retrofit of stalks.
I had a super tight parallel parking job the other day. Those are typically easy for me. The screen gear selections took a tough but doable job not only difficult, but downright embarrassing. I found myself cursing at the screen.
Horn: OMG, who was the idiot who designed this? Of all the items on the wheel, next to the wheel itself, the ONLY item there that is designed for an emergency is the horn. No, it is not for calling the kids or the guy texting in front of you when the light turns green (though the latter is not such a bad use). It is specifically called out for the prevention of an accident. Trying to find a stupid little button with your thumb, or placing the entire hand over the right side (which, BTW, gifts you with also activating the wiper blades) during an emergency, is not in-line with the philosophical function of the horn. Again, this too, IMHO, would be justification for a recall.
In summary, the yoke is fun and cool looking, though a bit less secure, especially in dangerous situations. Turn signals are fine/no biggie. Add gear stalks and move the horn to its correct position and everything would be stellar.
The yoke looks and feels really cool. The sense of openness in the cabin while driving is really something special. I prepped myself by placing coflex tape on my prior MS for a couple of months before I got my refresh, and found the change to the yoke just fine. I use a different technique for the holding and turning of the yoke, for which I am now well-adapted, with specific grips for turns that I just can't take the time to explain here. In simplest turns, lots of very specific grabbing hand over hand.
For the most part, The yoke is a pleasure to use. Now, the key words here are "most part". If you are driving gingerly in the city or down the highway, it is fine. Also, if you are making occasional turns, U-turns, backing into spots and 3-point turns, it is also fine. I do a TON of those every day and have perfect ease of use with it. Now, if you are driving aggressively in traffic, needing to make many lane changes and fast turns, then the yoke just feels sloppy. Now, imagine a near collision where you have to maneuver quickly to safe yourself. There is absolutely, and unarguably, a distinct benefit to having a piece of the wheel to grab always in the same exact place. That is only achievable with a round wheel. Knowing that however you move the wheel, you can grab it at any spot, at any time, without any thought, is just plain safer. Again, I got this yoke stuff down, and love it. Yet, I remain fearful of a complex series of incidents in dangerous situations where control can easily be lost. If Tesla was to offer me a free "upgrade" to a wheel, would I take it? Maybe. It would definitely take some thought.
Turn signals: Meh. The turn signals are not that easy to use, but not terrible. I do find that I miss sometimes, which would never, ever, happen with stalks. Stalks are, without question, easier. The buttons are not terrible, but definitely no huge advantage here. My thoughts: whatever. I can take it or leave it. They are fine.
Gear selection: F'ing dangerous! As I posted in another thread, I nearly got myself killed by this STUPID screen selection system. I was backing up into a tight charging spot in a driveway, and had to maneuver to fit. I had to pull into the street to align myself, then back in. Suddenly, there was heavy traffic coming. I "threw it into reverse", tapped on the pedal, and lurched forward! I simply did not take enough time and dedication to specifically swipe 100% down on the screen and ensure "in gear". Sloppy on my part, yes. Traffic was coming and I wanted to get out of the way quickly. This absolutely would never happen with stalks. Even dials or floor shifters are more secure. Face it, touching the screen is just not easy while driving. Tesla does not get that. IMHO, this is almost justification for a recall and retrofit of stalks.
I had a super tight parallel parking job the other day. Those are typically easy for me. The screen gear selections took a tough but doable job not only difficult, but downright embarrassing. I found myself cursing at the screen.
Horn: OMG, who was the idiot who designed this? Of all the items on the wheel, next to the wheel itself, the ONLY item there that is designed for an emergency is the horn. No, it is not for calling the kids or the guy texting in front of you when the light turns green (though the latter is not such a bad use). It is specifically called out for the prevention of an accident. Trying to find a stupid little button with your thumb, or placing the entire hand over the right side (which, BTW, gifts you with also activating the wiper blades) during an emergency, is not in-line with the philosophical function of the horn. Again, this too, IMHO, would be justification for a recall.
In summary, the yoke is fun and cool looking, though a bit less secure, especially in dangerous situations. Turn signals are fine/no biggie. Add gear stalks and move the horn to its correct position and everything would be stellar.
F-ing nailed it. It only takes one instance in which these new controls are less safe to end your life.
Tesla would have my business again TOMORROW if they offered a round wheel and stalks as an option. Hell, even though they’ve got half a million copies in the Model 3/Y parts bin, I’d pay an extra $1,000 for them if Elon wants to be a d—k about it, but as it stands, I will not buy a new Model S. I won’t pay $100,000 for demonstrably inferior, less safe controls just because Musk thinks they look cool and enjoys a delusional fantasy of how well FSD works in the real world.
I was talking to some guys at my service center last month, and they believe that an optional wheel will be offered. They knew nothing about stalks.
Thank you—that’s a nice tip and I hope it’s true. (We can already get a real round wheel from Secret EV; other companies sell ugly shapes that are vaguely circular but by no means round LOL). So yes, that would be a nice concession—but Musk eliminated stalks with extreme prejudice (“All input is error”—my ass!) as if the whole world of drivers had long despised them—I expect the entire Tesla model range to be thus infected within a few years. If ‘shifting’ remains on screen only with no physical control (those stupid console buttons don’t count), I won’t buy the car. Of all the control changes, that is hands-down the stupidest and most potentially dangerous.
MarcG
Active Member
What yoke? That car had a round wheel from a Model 3 or Y.
You can literally see the driver lose traction in the first 10 seconds of the video, and catching it thanks to the fact that it was a round wheel.
Not happening with a yoke.. dude would’ve spun out of control while trying to grab air.
The yoke has to go. At best I can tolerate it, usually I hate it, and sometimes it actually doesn't get in the way is the best I can say about it. Why should I adapt to something that has no real benefit and makes my safety worse in an emergency situation.
As much as I dislike the yoke, I hate the controls more every day I use them. Just way to much movement required to change direction on the touch screen and inconvenient as hell. No matter what I try, the gearshift along the console takes several tries to even light up to select a "gear". I had to hone the other day and I must have tried several times to finally find it in an emergency.
At least I can drop some more cash to swap out the POS yoke but so far no retail options to get rid of the asinine controls. They absolutely crush my enjoyment of the car every time I have to interact with them. Hey Elon, your designers are idiots with respect to the controls. Maybe they actually believed that FSD that actually works was imminent.
Why did you have to mess with the stalks too? They would have worked with the yoke.
As much as I dislike the yoke, I hate the controls more every day I use them. Just way to much movement required to change direction on the touch screen and inconvenient as hell. No matter what I try, the gearshift along the console takes several tries to even light up to select a "gear". I had to hone the other day and I must have tried several times to finally find it in an emergency.
At least I can drop some more cash to swap out the POS yoke but so far no retail options to get rid of the asinine controls. They absolutely crush my enjoyment of the car every time I have to interact with them. Hey Elon, your designers are idiots with respect to the controls. Maybe they actually believed that FSD that actually works was imminent.
Why did you have to mess with the stalks too? They would have worked with the yoke.
FlatSix911
Porsche 918 Hybrid
Interesting news!
www.teslarati.com
Tesla could be considering the option of letting customers choose between the traditional round steering wheel or the Yoke that the automaker introduced in the new Model S last year. Tesla hacker @greentheonly on Twitter is known for digging deep into software and coding to find what the automaker could introduce down the road. In the past, green has uncovered coding for the activation of the cabin-facing camera, among many other discoveries.
Green’s latest discovery in Tesla coding is something labeled as “PROC_GTW_X_STEERING-WHEEL-YOKE-SWAP.”
When the prompt is opened, it gives the user an option to choose “Round” or “Yoke.”
Tesla could soon let customers choose between a Yoke or Traditional steering wheel
Tesla customers may have a choice between a traditional round steering wheel and the Yoke in Model S and Model X vehicles.
www.teslarati.com
Tesla could be considering the option of letting customers choose between the traditional round steering wheel or the Yoke that the automaker introduced in the new Model S last year. Tesla hacker @greentheonly on Twitter is known for digging deep into software and coding to find what the automaker could introduce down the road. In the past, green has uncovered coding for the activation of the cabin-facing camera, among many other discoveries.
Green’s latest discovery in Tesla coding is something labeled as “PROC_GTW_X_STEERING-WHEEL-YOKE-SWAP.”
When the prompt is opened, it gives the user an option to choose “Round” or “Yoke.”
There are 3 or 4 companies offering a round replacement for the yoke. But none of them are offering stalks or a center horn. If Tesla was to do that I’d be all over it.Interesting news!
Tesla could soon let customers choose between a Yoke or Traditional steering wheel
Tesla customers may have a choice between a traditional round steering wheel and the Yoke in Model S and Model X vehicles.
Tesla could be considering the option of letting customers choose between the traditional round steering wheel or the Yoke that the automaker introduced in the new Model S last year. Tesla hacker @greentheonly on Twitter is known for digging deep into software and coding to find what the automaker could introduce down the road. In the past, green has uncovered coding for the activation of the cabin-facing camera, among many other discoveries.
Green’s latest discovery in Tesla coding is something labeled as “PROC_GTW_X_STEERING-WHEEL-YOKE-SWAP.”
When the prompt is opened, it gives the user an option to choose “Round” or “Yoke.”
lbowroom
Plaid, white on black, CF, 8/27/21, Track Pack
FlatSix911
Porsche 918 Hybrid
lbowroom
Plaid, white on black, CF, 8/27/21, Track Pack
Because there isn’t one. Like all of them it uses the factory controls, built from a yoke core. Warranty on what, the steering wheel?
FlatSix911
Porsche 918 Hybrid
Buyer beware - Tesla has a habit of denying claims on vehicles with aftermarket parts installed that have control problems.
If you are interested in a round wheel, I would recommend the OEM model to avoid future issues with service. YMMV
lbowroom
Plaid, white on black, CF, 8/27/21, Track Pack
Only when said parts actually cause the problem. So tired of these general policy warnings...Buyer beware - Tesla has a habit of denying claims on vehicles with aftermarket parts installed that have control problems.
If you are interested in a round wheel, I would recommend the OEM model to avoid future issues with service. YMMV
There is no OEM round wheel currently for the refresh model S. All the ones currently available rebuild on the core of an OEM wheel and retain the OEM controls.
I'm not advocating for swapping. I merely commented that among the replacements currently available, I like the look of the Hansshow the best. If someone wants a round wheel for the track probably the easiest to swap a Model 3 wheel on it. However you will lose all electronic control functionality, so I don't recommend that for the street.
If Tesla reverses policy and releases a round wheel, great! I hope they wrap it in a felt lined box with a ribbon and certificate of authenticity so OEM traditionalists can warship it in their trophy case.
This year, Tesla is on track to produce over a million stalks and steering wheels for Model 3/Y. As @rhuber so brilliantly demonstrated, you can swap them into a new Model S. He had to write custom firmware though—Model S (conveniently?) doesn’t include software code that recognizes Model 3/Y stalks and wheels.
If they wanted to, Tesla could patch the S/X software over the air tomorrow to make adding Model 3/Y stalks and swapping the shrouds / wheel a trivial job—even for a home mechanic. They could easily sell those parts in the online store. But it’s not going happen: Elon Musk thinks “All input is error.” He couldn’t be more wrong, but try convincing him of that.
The new S/X primary controls (especially on-screen ‘shifting’ and haptics) are totally craptastic; the more tight city parking and low speed maneuvering you must do, the worse. The fact that we could so easily have choice—were it not for Elon’s breathtaking arrogance and childish ways—is immensely frustrating.
lbowroom
Plaid, white on black, CF, 8/27/21, Track Pack
Yes, but a manufacturer may not void any aspect of warranty unless there is direct causation.Buyer beware - Tesla has a habit of denying claims on vehicles with aftermarket parts installed that have control problems.
If you are interested in a round wheel, I would recommend the OEM model to avoid future issues with service. YMMV
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