Has anyone taken delivery of a new Model S and opted for the steering wheel?

[dmurphy]

Yep, 100%. I love this article about Toyota engineers. Tesla does things well. They integrate well. They have a unique culture that allows integration of engineering better than most legacy automakers.

Toyota Engineers After Tesla Model Y Teardown: "A Work Of Art"

A recent teardown study of the Tesla Model Y conducted by Toyota engineers reportedly highlighted how far behind the Japanese automaker is in EV manufacturing.

insideevs.com

I do think progress has always been two steps forward, one step back. I also agree with you that some aspects of the wheel and shift are a step back. @dmurphy I haven't encountered most of the issues you reference. I don't parallel park at all, just not necessary at the places I frequent. I do back-in often, but it became second nature to swipe down on the screen to back up. Ergonomically I have no issues reaching for the screen, but I did set up my seat to ensure I had good visuals and screen reach. That said, I think the screen shifter (is that what it is called now? lol) is imperfect, but it challenges the status quo; and will likely lead to improved shifting. I like the idea of selecting the parking spot, and letting the car park itself once FSD/EAP can do so in a consistent timely fashion, which would negate the need for a screen shifter.

I also do not think the round steering wheel is an admission of failure. It is Tesla understanding and catering to their customer base. Now, would you call that a failure? If so, then you are right! I don't see it that way. I see it as an adaptation. Kind-a like many early changes in a vehicle such as the turning headlights in a 1960's Studebaker. The world just wasn't ready. Now we have that option coming back on Teslas and other vehicles.

I'll admit, the shifter is the more minor nit compared to the yoke itself for me. That thing is awful (AWFUL) for local driving. If it had variable ratio steering, it'd be fine... but it doesn't. So that means I have to do at least two arm-crossing turns to make a sharp corner, or when making, say, a U-turn, and that's unacceptable. I've had plenty of instances where I'm literally grasping for air when turning because I'm past the 90-degree point.

I have to be honest, the fact that I'm getting crabby about un-learning 3 decades of driving experience has me really, really feeling middle aged. And I don't like that one bit!

(and yes, it's not beyond me that this episode is 27 years old, and I watched it as a first-run episode.)

 

[WilliamG]

Yes, to Tesla! Less parts = less expensive all around, the only reason they removed the stalks. I bet the Model 3 refresh won't have stalks either.

I absolutely bet the refresh does have stalks. Quote me on this and I'll eat all the crow you want if I'm wrong, but... I won't be.

 

[EVRider-FL]

It's weird to me, so many having trouble adapting. I just don't have issues with the controls or the Yoke. Maybe the first week or so.

I think you said in another thread that you have a new S on order. Did you stick with the yoke or choose the round wheel this time?

 

[lowtek]

I think you said in another thread that you have a new S on order. Did you stick with the yoke or choose the round wheel this time?

Yoke for sure, love it!

 

[zoomer0056]

I think you said in another thread that you have a new S on order. Did you stick with the yoke or choose the round wheel this time?

I don't remember the thread, maybe this one . . . but someone said the SC center said most people are opting for the yoke over the wheel on their MS orders.

 

[EVRider-FL]

I don't remember the thread, maybe this one . . . but someone said the SC center said most people are opting for the yoke over the wheel on their MS orders.

I wonder how many of those orders are from people who didn’t have a yoke before. I know some people love them, but some hate them. The yoke definitely looks cool, but I worry about tight turns and parking. I’ve been paying attention to where I hold my current round wheel when turning, and in some cases where I hold it is missing on the yoke.

 

[dmurphy]

in some cases where I hold it is missing on the yoke.

Bingo. It’s not that the yoke isn’t drivable - it is, and honestly cruising down the highway, it’s super comfortable. But the kind of turns you’re talking about are the ones where I need instant response, not literally grasping for air.

 

[danp]

I absolutely bet the refresh does have stalks. Quote me on this and I'll eat all the crow you want if I'm wrong, but... I won't be.

Nope, no stalks with the refresh refresh (and the round wheel). It's "stalkless driving" all the way for the S/X:

Model S Owner's Manual | Tesla

Learn about the steering wheel and the various features and shortcuts it provides access to.

www.tesla.com

FIrst look at the refresh with the round wheel:

The worst is that airbag STILL doesn't function as a horn. Come on, Tesla.

 

[WilliamG]

Nope, no stalks with the refresh refresh (and the round wheel). It's "stalkless driving" all the way for the S/X:

Model S Owner's Manual | Tesla

Learn about the steering wheel and the various features and shortcuts it provides access to.

www.tesla.com

FIrst look at the refresh with the round wheel:

The worst is that airbag STILL doesn't function as a horn. Come on, Tesla.

We were talking about the Model 3, just an fyi.

 

[danp]

We were talking about the Model 3, just an fyi.

Oh, duh! Sorry, I just assumed that everything about yokes and stalks has to be about the S/X. And using every opportunity to vent about it.

 

[WilliamG]

Oh, duh! Sorry, I just assumed that everything about yokes and stalks has to be about the S/X. And using every opportunity to vent about it.

Hehe all good!

 

[K.I.T.T.23]

I'll admit, the shifter is the more minor nit compared to the yoke itself for me. That thing is awful (AWFUL) for local driving. If it had variable ratio steering, it'd be fine... but it doesn't. So that means I have to do at least two arm-crossing turns to make a sharp corner, or when making, say, a U-turn, and that's unacceptable. I've had plenty of instances where I'm literally grasping for air when turning because I'm past the 90-degree point.

I have to be honest, the fact that I'm getting crabby about un-learning 3 decades of driving experience has me really, really feeling middle aged. And I don't like that one bit!

(and yes, it's not beyond me that this episode is 27 years old, and I watched it as a first-run episode.)

I feel ya, 100% it is a very different driving experience. The value of the yoke diminishes quickly for the tight turns. and variable ratio steering would be ideal! With that I think the old wheel becomes obsolete.

You hit the marketing failure on the head there too. This car, the Model S, is geared towards middle-aged men. As a whole we do not like to re-learn 30 years of experience! That is why I think they made the wheel option a thing. We can argue all day on which is actually better, but from a marketing/sales perspective the writing is on the wall. Don't market a product that requires unlearning of the past few decades to middle-aged men.

 

[lowtek]

I feel ya, 100% it is a very different driving experience. The value of the yoke diminishes quickly for the tight turns. and variable ratio steering would be ideal! With that I think the old wheel becomes obsolete.

You hit the marketing failure on the head there too. This car, the Model S, is geared towards middle-aged men. As a whole we do not like to re-learn 30 years of experience! That is why I think they made the wheel option a thing. We can argue all day on which is actually better, but from a marketing/sales perspective the writing is on the wall. Don't market a product that requires unlearning of the past few decades to middle-aged men.

52, love the yoke!

 

[K.I.T.T.23]

52, love the yoke!

You and I are rare birds my friend I always found wheels so... boring. It also fits my theme!

 

[dmurphy]

You and I are rare birds my friend I always found wheels so... boring. It also fits my theme!

This is what’s setting off my alarm bells …. The yoke is the first thing - pretty much ever - where I want to go backward to what I had before. I’m a pretty tech forward kinda guy and always willing to adapt …. But this one is sticking in my craw for some reason.

When I bought my first Tesla, I was willing to give up everything I knew and adapt. I did that. Then I bought the X, and had to adapt a bit again - vertical display, autopilot stalk, etc. Ain’t no thang. Easy cheesy.

This S thought …. It’s irritating me, and that’s alarming. I’m usually the first to adopt new tech and this one is just pi&&ing me off. Either I’ve aged horribly in the last 2 years since buying the X, or it’s really a poor design. I’d like to believe the problem is them, not me. Easier on the ego that way.

If only they had a variable ratio steering rack ready to go, I’d be all aboard Team Yoke. But it isn’t, so I’m not. It’s not the concept, but the execution!

 

[rraj2k81]

Nope, no stalks with the refresh refresh (and the round wheel). It's "stalkless driving" all the way for the S/X:

Model S Owner's Manual | Tesla

Learn about the steering wheel and the various features and shortcuts it provides access to.

www.tesla.com

FIrst look at the refresh with the round wheel:

The worst is that airbag STILL doesn't function as a horn. Come on, Tesla.

That wheel just feels very underwhelming compared to some aftermarket options. But then again can't expect much from Tesla anyways. For some reason thought it would be a bit smaller.
Wish they had incorporated the horn. Have a feeling there might be another 'refresh' for the horn.

But, I am still going to stick to this for the price and being an OE solution with warranty.

 

[K.I.T.T.23]

This is what’s setting off my alarm bells …. The yoke is the first thing - pretty much ever - where I want to go backward to what I had before. I’m a pretty tech forward kinda guy and always willing to adapt …. But this one is sticking in my craw for some reason.

When I bought my first Tesla, I was willing to give up everything I knew and adapt. I did that. Then I bought the X, and had to adapt a bit again - vertical display, autopilot stalk, etc. Ain’t no thang. Easy cheesy.

This S thought …. It’s irritating me, and that’s alarming. I’m usually the first to adopt new tech and this one is just pi&&ing me off. Either I’ve aged horribly in the last 2 years since buying the X, or it’s really a poor design. I’d like to believe the problem is them, not me. Easier on the ego that way.

If only they had a variable ratio steering rack ready to go, I’d be all aboard Team Yoke. But it isn’t, so I’m not. It’s not the concept, but the execution!

I wouldn't set off the alarm bells yet. In your case, (again, not the norm) the value just wasn't there for you. The look, feel, idea and use of the yoke just didn't turn your crank, and that is ok!
There are 4 stages to adoption within TMC and nearly all forums:

1. The Tesla Fan Boys: Elon can do no wrong, all ideas are brilliant. They are easy to identify because they will argue to a fault that ideas are perfection.
2. The Adopters: one of two things are going on here. The change either fits their needs or is legit is amazing. Fairly easy to identify as their arguments tend to be balanced and likely they have objective evidence/experience supporting their positions.
3. The non-Adopters: again, one of two things: They change doesn't fit their needs and the drawbacks outweigh the positives. Just like Adopters, they are easy to identify because they are balanced and objective based in their positions.
4. The Trolls: We all know these guys. They come, they drop their troll doody, and they move on. Literally the antithesis of a Fan Boy.
   
   You are just a non-adopter and you have valid reasons to be so. I think the Yoke is one of those changes that is currently not a brilliant idea. It has positives and negatives. I would also argue that your stance is more common not just because our age group is slow to adopt, but add in the change is a mixed bag and you have a strong majority of our population that will land in the non-adoption segment.

 

[dmurphy]

I wouldn't set off the alarm bells yet. In your case, (again, not the norm) the value just wasn't there for you. The look, feel, idea and use of the yoke just didn't turn your crank, and that is ok!
There are 4 stages to adoption within TMC and nearly all forums:

1. The Tesla Fan Boys: Elon can do no wrong, all ideas are brilliant. They are easy to identify because they will argue to a fault that ideas are perfection.
2. The Adopters: one of two things are going on here. The change either fits their needs or is legit is amazing. Fairly easy to identify as their arguments tend to be balanced and likely they have objective evidence/experience supporting their positions.
3. The non-Adopters: again, one of two things: They change doesn't fit their needs and the drawbacks outweigh the positives. Just like Adopters, they are easy to identify because they are balanced and objective based in their positions.
4. The Trolls: We all know these guys. They come, they drop their troll doody, and they move on. Literally the antithesis of a Fan Boy.
   
   You are just a non-adopter and you have valid reasons to be so. I think the Yoke is one of those changes that is currently not a brilliant idea. It has positives and negatives. I would also argue that your stance is more common not just because our age group is slow to adopt, but add in the change is a mixed bag and you have a strong majority of our population that will land in the non-adoption segment.

I'm going to go ahead and disagree with you here ... I'd slot myself somewhere in the adopter arena. It's really JUST the yoke that I'm not a fan of.

Else, I wouldn't have an S, 3 and X in the driveway and swap between them all. I've road tripped all across the USA in the X. I've used it to tow my RV up and down the eastern seaboard. I'm the chapter lead of our area Owners' Club. I no longer own any gas vehicles, or for that matter any non-Tesla vehicles. I help teach courses for first responders in how to respond to EV accidents.

Certainly wouldn't call myself a non-adopter... I'm pretty much all in here. Just don't like the yoke.

 

[K.I.T.T.23]

I'm going to go ahead and disagree with you here ... I'd slot myself somewhere in the adopter arena. It's really JUST the yoke that I'm not a fan of.

Else, I wouldn't have an S, 3 and X in the driveway and swap between them all. I've road tripped all across the USA in the X. I've used it to tow my RV up and down the eastern seaboard. I'm the chapter lead of our area Owners' Club. I no longer own any gas vehicles, or for that matter any non-Tesla vehicles. I help teach courses for first responders in how to respond to EV accidents.

Certainly wouldn't call myself a non-adopter... I'm pretty much all in here. Just don't like the yoke.

Sorry, that wasn't clear. Not that you are not an adopter at all, just in this case you are not. It doesn't fit you. Like I am a non-adopter of the Model X. I don't like the doors. They are mechanically complex, compete with headroom (most of my family is 6' - 7' tall, my daughter is the shortest one at 5' 11") and I don't understand the benefit aside from they look cool. So, I am not an adopter of Model X. Overall I am an early adopter of technology that suits me, as you seem to be. Just in the case of the yoke, we differ.

 

[zoomer0056]

The Trolls

Also known as Not Boys.