M3 Refresh - Are Indicator buttons really poor design?

[Timbo13]

I just saw the M3 refresh video on Fully Charged and I think I saw that the left and right indicator controls have been made buttons on the steering wheel. Am I the only one to think this is really bad design?

Imagine the scenario when you are approaching a roundabout and you want to take the right hand exit (ie normally 3rd or 4th exit in the UK).
As you approach you use your left hand to press the button with the right arrow on it - so far so good.
You turn the steering wheel as you go round the roundabout.
As you approach your exit and want to indicate left, with steering wheel turned, your indicator buttons are now on the other side of the steering wheel - so unusually you need to press the buttons with your right hand. But hold on. Their upside down!! The arrow symbol on the left indicator is pointing right and the arrow on the right indicator is pointing left. Not only that but the bottom button is now on top and the top button is on the bottom.
Now I appreciate many people don’t indicate correctly at roundabouts anyway but I can’t see this ‘development’ helping much.
I guess people will soon get used to it.
Call me old fashioned but I think I prefer the good old indicator stalk that just stays where it’s meant to be.

 

[shahryaran]

I just saw the M3 refresh video on Fully Charged and I think I saw that the left and right indicator controls have been made buttons on the steering wheel. Am I the only one to think this is really bad design?

Imagine the scenario when you are approaching a roundabout and you want to take the right hand exit (ie normally 3rd or 4th exit in the UK).
As you approach you use your left hand to press the button with the right arrow on it - so far so good.
You turn the steering wheel as you go round the roundabout.
As you approach your exit and want to indicate left, with steering wheel turned, your indicator buttons are now on the other side of the steering wheel - so unusually you need to press the buttons with your right hand. But hold on. Their upside down!! The arrow symbol on the left indicator is pointing right and the arrow on the right indicator is pointing left. Not only that but the bottom button is now on top and the top button is on the bottom.
Now I appreciate many people don’t indicate correctly at roundabouts anyway but I can’t see this ‘development’ helping much.
I guess people will soon get used to it.
Call me old fashioned but I think I prefer the good old indicator stalk that just stays where it’s meant to be.

Yes they are bad design. If they would have put right signal on the right side and the left signal on the left side of the wheel, that would help a bit.

 

[Drew57]

Some good observations @Timbo13 but not sure its wise to have a lot of new threads appearing which will cover the same as this one....

https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/so…-highland-is-out….310608/

 

[Timbo13]

Some good observations @Timbo13 but not sure its wise to have a lot of new threads appearing which will cover the same as this one....

https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/so…-highland-is-out….310608/

Apologies - didn’t realise it was called Highland!!

 

[speedyranger74]

The same things was said about the yoke, no cluster behind the wheel... have to change your mind, if you want, if not don't buy the car. So simple.

 

[asl3312]

The same things was said about the yoke, no cluster behind the wheel... have to change your mind, if you want, if not don't buy the car. So simple.

Tesla have since back pedalled with the yoke though, and they're capacitive touch areas not even physical buttons which makes it even more jarring.

 

[pdk42]

It’s a stupid design decision. Only an American would even begin to think it was workable. Hopefully there will be a 3rd party add-on that will remedy their stupidity.

 

[aq42]

Time and the market will tell. Eventually, either other manufacturers will follow Tesla's lead or stalks will reappear on Tesla's cars. Look at what happened with steering yokes.

Stalks have been so ubiquitous since forever that I am surprised Tesla have dropped them, but then I haven't driven a stalkless Tesla.

 

[zoomer0056]

As you approach your exit and want to indicate left

Is this a type-o? If the round about has counter clock wise traffic flow, wouldn't it be an exit to the right?

 

[Jason71]

Is this a type-o? If the round about has counter clock wise traffic flow, wouldn't it be an exit to the right?

You are on the UK forum so no it is spot on.

 

[kelvin 660]

Maybe stalks (and new stationary rear lights) are coming to the UK due to all our roundabouts and that's why they are delayed until next year??

 

[Ferret]

It all comes down to How much steering is required, if it is like the current car then I imagine will be a complete pita on small roundabouts

 

[WannabeOwner]

If the only issue is the stalks then just get some after-market stalks?

 

[zoomer0056]

You are on the UK forum so no it is spot on.

Got it, of course.

 

[Dilly]

It really doesn’t matter. Tesla‘s will be driverless by the end of the year…

 

[johnny_cakes]

I just saw the M3 refresh video on Fully Charged and I think I saw that the left and right indicator controls have been made buttons on the steering wheel. Am I the only one to think this is really bad design?

Imagine the scenario when you are approaching a roundabout and you want to take the right hand exit (ie normally 3rd or 4th exit in the UK).
As you approach you use your left hand to press the button with the right arrow on it - so far so good.
You turn the steering wheel as you go round the roundabout.
As you approach your exit and want to indicate left, with steering wheel turned, your indicator buttons are now on the other side of the steering wheel - so unusually you need to press the buttons with your right hand. But hold on. Their upside down!! The arrow symbol on the left indicator is pointing right and the arrow on the right indicator is pointing left. Not only that but the bottom button is now on top and the top button is on the bottom.
Now I appreciate many people don’t indicate correctly at roundabouts anyway but I can’t see this ‘development’ helping much.
I guess people will soon get used to it.
Call me old fashioned but I think I prefer the good old indicator stalk that just stays where it’s meant to be.

Just tilt your head with the steering wheel and you'll be fine

 

[fholbert]

It’s a stupid design decision. Only an American would even begin to think it was workable. Hopefully there will be a 3rd party add-on that will remedy their stupidity.

I just remembered why we went to war against the British.

Remind me, who won that one?

 

[shahryaran]

It’s a stupid design decision. Only an American would even begin to think it was workable. Hopefully there will be a 3rd party add-on that will remedy their stupidity.

Here is solution:

Stalk or no stalk argument [not] settled

First, we should analyze the matter without considering that the brand Tesla is making these changes and understand from a automotive/ engineering/ ergonomic point of view that whether indicator in steering has benefits compare to stalk. If it does, I'll accept that. Obviously there is always...

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[Greytop]

IMHO indicator buttons that are steering wheel mounted will only serve to potentially confuse when larger steering wheel (180+ degree) angles are employed in a manoeuvre.

 

[connectjunkie]

Hopefully they fixed the reliability issues that the capacitive indicator buttons had in the Model S Plaid. Even more of a PITA if one of your indicators stops working half of the time