New Highland UK - stalks

[Adopado]

I can't wait to type this:

Hey guys, can we please talk more about stalks in this thread! Not enough stalks chat... hehe

 

[Js1977]

Not enough stalks chat... hehe

Really??

 

[Js1977]

 

[init6]

The stalks problem is easily solved:

 

[MrT3]

What about high beam? The auto beam system is good enough these days but if you are in manual mode how long to you have to press the button for it to register, rather than just being a flash? As you pass a car and are plunged into darkness, how quickly can you turn back on the high beams (hopefully faster than the auto system)?

 

[GeorgeSymonds]

They’ll probably invent a horizontal kinetic bi directional input device with a perpendicular axis illumination selection and claim it a world first

 

[init6]

And people will buy it without testing first

 

[exlatccatsa]

I'd bet that the next update to the model 3 is steer by wire as the Cybertruck has. Which means there should be no need for the steering wheel to rotate more than 90 degrees and no confusion about where the indicator button is.

 

[WannabeOwner]

you're not normally exiting with the steering wheel inverted by 180 degrees.

There is a small roundabout near me - typical of many. It has 2 lanes on each of the 4 approaches. To get onto the roundabout you have to use quite a bit of left-steer (whereas with a mini you can usually go straight, or slightly left). What that means (when turning RIGHT) is that you are in the right lane and therefore have to start with a fairly significant amount of LEFT, and then (somewhat because of that) a lot of RIGHT when you are at the far side at the point where you want to indicate left.

I haven't tried the stalkless so I don't know how it will be, but I have been trying "simulating" at various roundabouts, and there are more than a few where I have a lot of right-hand-down at the point where I would want to indicate left "leaving at next exit"

 

[Adopado]

I'd bet that the next update to the model 3 is steer by wire as the Cybertruck has. Which means there should be no need for the steering wheel to rotate more than 90 degrees and no confusion about where the indicator button is.

In addition to solving the stalks issue steer by wire would also likely solve the LHD/RHD option for Model S and X.

 

[btc1k]

There is a small roundabout near me - typical of many. It has 2 lanes on each of the 4 approaches. To get onto the roundabout you have to use quite a bit of left-steer (whereas with a mini you can usually go straight, or slightly left). What that means (when turning RIGHT) is that you are in the right lane and therefore have to start with a fairly significant amount of LEFT, and then (somewhat because of that) a lot of RIGHT when you are at the far side at the point where you want to indicate left.

I haven't tried the stalkless so I don't know how it will be, but I have been trying "simulating" at various roundabouts, and there are more than a few where I have a lot of right-hand-down at the point where I would want to indicate left "leaving at next exit"

With your right hand down, is your left hand available to press the button? (the button will be near the top of the steering wheel)

 

[btc1k]

You change indication as you pass the exit immediately prior to the one you want, you are likely to have a large degree of lock on at that point.

I suspect the easy way to not get the problem is to either not bother indicating or to indicate when the steering wheel is in a place when it’s easiest to indicate, both of those are wrong, it should determined by when it’s the correct time to indicate irrespective of steering wheel position.

We’ve had this argument countess times and now someone who’s driven it has experienced the issue, just like many predicted, the defence is either they’re driving wrong or the scenario is very rare. Neither particularly helpful

I wasn't mounting a "defence", merely communicating my own real world experience that I couldn't replicate the concerns discussed.

I also never said it was "impossible", "driving wrong", or "very rare" so not sure who this is directed at in your quoted response to me.

 

[WannabeOwner]

With your right hand down, is your left hand available to press the button? (the button will be near the top of the steering wheel)

I reckon I'll have to try it to know. I shuffle the wheel through my hands, so I'm not sure where the buttons would be (in relation to hands).

But I was surprised how much "turn" I had on the wheel, as the roundabout is not mini ... but the fact that it is two-lanes-approach, and quite small, meaning "steer left to get onto it" surprised me how much "turn" I then needed to get around the back, before then easing to outside lane and taking the final exit.

 

[btc1k]

I reckon I'll have to try it to know. I shuffle the wheel through my hands, so I'm not sure where the buttons would be (in relation to hands).

But I was surprised how much "turn" I had on the wheel, as the roundabout is not mini ... but the fact that it is two-lanes-approach, and quite small, meaning "steer left to get onto it" surprised me how much "turn" I then needed to get around the back, before then easing to outside lane and taking the final exit.

It's this sort of stuff where an extended test drive can help settle your mind one way or the other - always find a quick blast up/down the road is never enough and hate the (usually legacy) manufacturers who think it is

 

[Pagemakers]

Got my 2nd test drive Thursday exactly because of this and a couple of other concerns I have before “upgrading”.

 

[pdk42]

I’ve got a test drive scheduled for Friday. It’ll be interesting to see how I cope with the lack of stalks.

I’m also keen to see how the cabin refinement compars with my new Y. I’m very impressed with this aspect of the Y, so it’ll be quite an achievement in my mind if the new 3 betters it.

 

[Pagemakers]

If you’re comparing cabin refinement you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Durzel]

Apropos of nothing but I watched a video earlier of a guy with a 2019 UK launch car doing a Highland test drive, and he had a mic setup where it was next to the window.

On the Highland part of the video the noise from outside was imperceptible, even on dual carriageways. When he got back into his car it was audible on the same roads. That tracks with the reported ~30% lower road noise.

 

[Maki22]

What about high beam? The auto beam system is good enough these days but if you are in manual mode how long to you have to press the button for it to register, rather than just being a flash? As you pass a car and are plunged into darkness, how quickly can you turn back on the high beams (hopefully faster than the auto system)?

High beam turns on as soon as you press the button, but to make it stay on you need to keep it pressed for 2 seconds or so.

I have been driving the Highland in Norway since mid December and have had no issues at all with the buttons, I have done more than 3000 km so far. Feels like we have more roundabouts than traffic lights here in Norway.

 

[Jules22]

Test drove it for 30 mins for the first time, got used to it in 10 mins, managed to indicate at every roundabout and turning without it being a "major challenge"

Some perspective from down under. I've owned the car just over a week now. My experience was as above, took me about five minutes to get used to it, I reached for the stalks a few times in my first drive, but have been fine since. Before I took delivery though I did experiment with my ICE vehicle and used the volume buttons as a stand in, with the added difficulty that I had to indicate using the stalk and then get used to finding the down volume to simulate exiting off a roundabout.

The city I'm in is absolutely full of roundabouts, so I recorded a small video for all of those losing their minds down here saying it was going to be impossible etc. This was recorded 2 days after taking delivery.