New Highland UK - stalks

[WilburT]

I wonder what other solution could have been implemented, besides stalks, obvs...

Capacitive buttons on the steering where you can tap a side to indicate?
Intelligent steering wheel buttons that can sense when the wheel is turned upside down and invert the controls accordingly?

A much better solution would be to use the right scroll wheel to swipe up or down when pressing the brake pedal to select gear in my view. To have to actively look at and touch the screen, when before you could select drive/reverse without hesitation is a poor implementation and regressive.

Just like that completely bonkers decision of making the horn a capacitive button on the refreshed model S/X.

Regarding indicators perhaps some sort of auto indicate hooked up to route planning would be better?

 

[GeorgeSymonds]

A much better solution would be to use the right scroll wheel to swipe up or down when pressing the brake pedal to select gear in my view. To have to actively look at and touch the screen, when before you could select drive/reverse without hesitation is a poor implementation and regressive.

Just like that completely bonkers decision of making the horn a capacitive button on the refreshed model S/X.

Regarding indicators perhaps some sort of auto indicate hooked up to route planning would be better?

You’ve given me an idea, if instead of two buttons they’d used a rocker switch that was proud of the wheel, they could have used that for the indicators, like a mini stalk, only on the wheel.

As an aside, 8 think they’ve just introduced a new steering wheel for the MSX with a proper button for the horn

 

[WllXM]

I suspect stalks is a generational issue.
For older drivers it might be an issue, but the younger ones will get used to it very quickly.

I don't think it is. It' just plain UX and about having something intuitive.

I haven't experienced stalkless indicators yet, but I've struggled enough on my current MY to pick-up the phone or adjust the volume while manoeuvring with the steering wheel upside down. It takes me a moment each time to figure out where the buttons are and to reverse-muscle-memory the controls (up is down, right is left, and all on the opposite hand, etc).
And bear in mind these occurences where I had to perform these commands don't happen often, but it's been enough times for me to notice how challenging it is. If at least the wheel commands weren't completely symmetrical it could help.

It's easy from there to imagine that having indicators like this, that you have to use many times during a drive, and most of the time with the steering wheel at an angle is a complete nightmare.

I thought most of Tesla employees were driving Teslas? Did the team of geniuses who designed this apologised yet?

 

[Zilla91]

I thought most of Tesla employees were driving Teslas? Did the team of geniuses who designed this apologised yet?

A bit unfair on the employees when they have no choice but to carry out the whims of Musk. If it were up to them, I'm sure they would never implement something as stupid and dangerous as this.

Regarding indicators perhaps some sort of auto indicate hooked up to route planning would be better?

Not this again, It will never work because no one uses the sat nav for every journey. Do you plug an address into the sat nav to drive somewhere you know that's 10 minutes away?

 

[Dilly]

It strikes me that it stems from the autonomous philosophy of ‘they’re there in the unlikely event you need them’

I just turned 71. I’ve driven everything from cars with no indicators and barely a wiper through to my 2020 M3. The indicators don’t bother me. I can adapt. I always have.

I’ve had gear levers on the transmission tunnel, dashboard and steering column.
I’m more concerned about the gear shift. I’ve had two occasions in the last 4 years, both were lorry’s reversing toward me slowly but with no intention of stopping despite hooting and I had to reverse a bit sharp. Tapping the stalk was dead easy. Tapping the screen or the roof buttons might be less intuitive in a ‘panic’ situation.

 

[Dilly]

A bit unfair on the employees when they have no choice but to carry out the whims of Musk. If it were up to them, I'm sure they would never implement something as stupid and dangerous as this.


Not this again, It will never work because no one uses the sat nav for every journey. Do you plug an address into the sat nav to drive somewhere you know that's 10 minutes away?

Nope!

 

[WllXM]

A bit unfair on the employees when they have no choice but to carry out the whims of Musk. If it were up to them, I'm sure they would never implement something as stupid and dangerous as this.

I believe he's driving one himself.. Probably Cybertruck now. Don't tell me he doesn't want to slap himself in the face slightly when coming up at a junction..

 

[Betelgeused]

You’ve given me an idea, if instead of two buttons they’d used a rocker switch that was proud of the wheel, they could have used that for the indicators, like a mini stalk, only on the wheel.

As an aside, 8 think they’ve just introduced a new steering wheel for the MSX with a proper button for the horn

I took your idea a step further. A non-rotating stalk on the steering wheel. Don't worry about the safety of it... in the event of an impending accident you can press a button to retract it fully into the steering wheel. The button is in the glovebox.

 

[GeorgeSymonds]

I took your idea a step further. A non-rotating stalk on the steering wheel. Don't worry about the safety of it... in the event of an impending accident you can press a button to retract it fully into the steering wheel. The button is in the glovebox.

View attachment 1023231

Don’t joke when it comes to Tesla

I was thinking ia sexier version of something like this, no bigger than the current switches, but rather than push in a button, you push up or down in the direction you want to indicate. Even if the wheel is upside down you’d still intuitively know which way to push it. It’s probably been as well thought through as an idea as the buttons were. You heard it here first..

 

[Betelgeused]

I'm in! Like this idea (I imagine a small rounded rocker switch). It doesn't have the visual impact of a full-blown stalk tickling your chest hair, but it's probably a little safer.

 

[MrBadger]

I took your idea a step further. A non-rotating stalk on the steering wheel. Don't worry about the safety of it... in the event of an impending accident you can press a button to retract it fully into the steering wheel. The button is in the glovebox.

View attachment 1023231

A car with a big spike protruding from the centre of steering wheel (Tullock Spike) is a less risky to drive than one with a seatbelt.

So a retractable mechanism may be an unnecessary cost…

 

[WllXM]

I took your idea a step further. A non-rotating stalk on the steering wheel. Don't worry about the safety of it... in the event of an impending accident you can press a button to retract it fully into the steering wheel. The button is in the glovebox.

View attachment 1023231

I like your idea. Let’s keep it retracted so it present itself only when approaching a junction.
Also, for improved ease of use and better crash protection, I think it would be better mounted vertically in the middle of the driver’s seat cushion.

 

[GeorgeSymonds]

A car with a big spike protruding from the centre of steering wheel (Tullock Spike) is a less risky to drive than one with a seatbelt.

So a retractable mechanism may be an unnecessary cost…

I think that was Clarksons suggestion, it would help focus the mind

 

[MrBadger]

I think that was Clarksons suggestion, it would help focus the mind

It’s a well studied example of risk compensation.

Another (controversial) example, is not wearing a cycle helmet when riding on a road. You are less likely to be involved in an incident in the first place if not wearing a cycle helmet although it affects the behaviour of both cyclist and other road users - I believe this is statistically proven. That one is particularly challenging to road safety specialists who still advocate wearing a cycle helmet.

A very enlightening Christmas drinks spent with one of our human factors road safety specialists. I can’t remember the other examples due to too much wine…

 

[ACarneiro]

You are less likely to be involved in an incident in the first place if not wearing a cycle helmet

I'm not sure that metric is ideal.
You may be less likely to be involved in an incident but perhaps the consequences are more serious when it does happen?
Perhaps a better metric would be something like "Hospital Days per 100Km travelled" or "Work Days lost per 100 Km travelled" or something like that...

 

[Leejmoff]

I guess that's means unless you buy a MY this year you won't be getting a new from factory Tesla, since it's only the MY that still has stalks and I'd suggest is highly likely to have them removed at its refresh.

I've done just over 800 miles in my Highland, mainly local around town and 2 long trips and had only a couple of times where I missed having stalks. Now I accept for some that even one time is too many, but it is what it is and I'm just not sure that the Martian will back down and put them back in.

absolutely right. I wont be buying another Tesla at this rate. I've said that before anyway. Wipers/Stalks/trade in values are just the beginning. The only thing I would miss is the SC network.

Its a real shame because overal the car is great, but removing stuff like that is just dangerous. Its not easy to use and its all to make them more money.

 

[FastLaneJB]

Not sure I agree, stalks didn't affect the sales of S and X and don't seem to have affected the sales of the 3 (huge backlogs of customers waiting here), I don't see any reason that the Y will be any different.

It's hard to judge if lack of stalks affected the 7 Model S and X they ship a year. I mean joking aside, they sell so few and many would put it up with it to have a Plaid.

 

[FastLaneJB]

They have the means to solve this problem in the Highland without having to put stalks back in. They can just use the interior camera with a new AI model. You just have to look left or right and blink your eyes three times to indicate. As an added bonus if you rub your nose the wipers will wipe.

 

[Drew57]

They have the means to solve this problem in the Highland without having to put stalks back in. They can just use the interior camera with a new AI model. You just have to look left or right and blink your eyes three times to indicate. As an added bonus if you rub your nose the wipers will wipe.

...but dropping your zip to flash the lights could have painful consequences.

 

[JamesKG]

There is a story today in the news that Tesla is going to lose its 5 star safety rating from NCAP as a result of the removal of the stalks. I still can’t get used to the change in my new Highland car but perhaps they will listen now to the European Safety Authorities. It is such a stupid change in my humble opinion.