It's a combination of all of these.
With a wheel, while looking around to be sure you're where you should be, going there right way, not hitting things close by, checking for other cars approaching, backing out nearby, etc, you know where everything is, no matter what the wheel position. You can grab the shifter to change direction (quickly if necessary) where your hand reaches for it with a big motion (hand, finger, forearm, etc.). Same goes for the wheel. There's no need to take your eyes away from this complex dynamic situation happening outside your car to verify you're shifting correctly inside. Maybe you'd eventually learn to swipe while guiding your right thumb along the side of the screen while your index finger swipes the directional control on the edge - but I'm skeptical.
It might be ok with FSD - but that's still a way off.
I suppose that, with a lot of time, one might be able to get used to where the wiper and turn signal buttons are although it will be relative to the wheel position and a fairly precise motion. If you're in a turn, with your hands at an awkward position (because there are only few positions where they can be on the steering yoke), it may be tough. It would be with your left hand or your right hand depending on steering yoke position.
With the Model 3 stalks, you know where it is, you can hit it quickly with your left hand - up for right, down for left (same direction as wheel turn), or hit the end to for the wipers. They are always right there.
I will admit that the use of the Mercedes stalks (4 of them - direction control, turn signal, cruise control, sheering wheel tilt and telescope) in the Model S fell a bit short on the other side of the human factors continuum curve - especially when they decided to reverse the order of the signal and cruise control (which was initially on top, then, with the no-bullet refresh it went to the bottom - or was it the other way?). IMHO, they nailed it with the Model 3 by moving steering wheel tilt and telescope to the touch screen and letting the direction control stalk control cruise control after it is no longer useful when you're in forward motion. Only 2 stalks seem about optimal. Simpler but not too simple. Keeping it all where you need it.
I have no problem with a yoke in an airplane (you only drive forward and instruments are extremely critical to safety so you don't want them blocked) or a race car (same forward motion thing). Maybe they should try a joystick like a helicopter since it goes backward too? Fighter jets also have joysticks so, to many, it would be even cooler than a yoke. There's probably a law requiring a mechanical linkage that wouldn't work too well on a joystick though.
Let's just stick with a wheel - at least as a factory option.
