Blog NHTSA Wants to Talk to Tesla About Half-Circle Steering Wheel

[TMC Staff]

It seems the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration isn’t sure if Tesla’s new steering wheel design is legal. The regulator told Road & Track: “At this time, NHTSA cannot determine if the steering wheel meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards,” the agency told R&T. “We will be reaching out to the automaker for more information.”...
[WPURI="https://teslamotorsclub.com/blog/2021/02/01/nhtsa-wants-to-talk-to-tesla-about-half-circle-steering-wheel/"]READ FULL ARTICLE[/WPURI]

 

[SOULPEDL]

They're right, we should standardize all human driven vehicles with the same steering wheel... and try using METRIC please so humans don't make stupid mistakes.

So I gather a Joystick is out? Let's just get this "wheel" thingy out of the way already.
We should just Think-n-Go! Think FAST!

 

[Rockster]

They ruin all the fun.

 

[Cleo-n-Company]

As if the NHTSA isn't already pissed off at Tesla's non-response to our S screen / memory woes.

I wonder if anyone at NHTSA is any more successful than the rest of us getting a human being on the phone at Tesla...

 

[gaswalla]

As if the NHTSA isn't already pissed off at Tesla's non-response to our S screen / memory woes.

I wonder if anyone at NHTSA is any more successful than the rest of us getting a human being on the phone at Tesla...

so true... since Tesla did not even respond to the MCU debacle and NHTSA demand, why would they respond to this 'inquiry'

 

[Cleo-n-Company]

so true... since Tesla did not even respond to the MCU debacle and NHTSA demand, why would they respond to this 'inquiry'

Elon will ponder it, and/or get to it when the Feds show up at Tesla HQ.

 

[Mr. Jim]

gamers will love it.

 

[Mr. Jim]

They're right, we should standardize all human driven vehicles with the same steering wheel... and try using METRIC please so humans don't make stupid mistakes.

So I gather a Joystick is out? Let's just get this "wheel" thingy out of the way already.
We should just Think-n-Go! Think FAST!
View attachment 633040

Good one. Nice rendering.

 

[SOULPEDL]

Good one. Nice rendering.

Actually, it was from Triumph Motorcycles as an April Fools according to the site.

 

[Mr. Jim]

Actually, it was from Triumph Motorcycles as an April Fools according to the site.

From your photo it looks like lush part of the Sonoran desert. Spent 4 years in Tucson many years ago. Wonderful country. I go back every year for the gem snow and love the drive from Gila Bend to Casa Grande.

 

[beatle]

There really isn't a lot stopping the aftermarket from providing a steering wheel without a top. Except the lack of demand.

 

[SOULPEDL]

From your photo it looks like lush part of the Sonoran desert. Spent 4 years in Tucson many years ago. Wonderful country. I go back every year for the gem snow and love the drive from Gila Bend to Casa Grande.

OT, while quiet anyway...
It's shot in Tempe Az actually, and that's Bandit focusing on something higher on up
Hey, did you hear about the guy from Gila Bend? (Sorry I can't finish the joke publicly, but I've lived in the area for about 35 yrs and they sure picked on Gila Bend over the radio in my time.)

 

[captanzuelo]

They're right, we should standardize all human driven vehicles with the same steering wheel... and try using METRIC please so humans don't make stupid mistakes.
View attachment 633040

I don’t see what the problem is. Even the super-picky FAA lets aircraft manufacturers come up with their own “flight controls.” Be it a standard U shaped yoke, a Ram’s horn, or a side control joystick. Pilots just get used to whatever they fly.

And as for your rendering of the motorcycle control, any cyclist knows you don’t steer in the direction you want to go. You counter-steer in the opposite direction. Hence why bikes have handle bars, to assist in pushing into the turning side and leaning, which is required to maneuver a bike at speed.

 

[felixtb]

And anyway, this type of steering wheel is in most race cars albite they have a much shorter lock to lock than a standard steering system. but with modern tech I'm sure they can make a variable lock steering rack depending on speed and type of manoeuvre input to make a yoke style wheel work great. And lastly you are supposed to hold your hands at 3 and 9 anyway...... So the top side is only to scoot from position to position when using full steering lock....... my 2 cents

 

[imola.zhp]

They say that having your hands above 3 and 9 could lead to broken arms in the event of a crash that blows the airbag. The steering yoke takes this possibility away.

But I still think its a joke, PR stunt.

 

[SSonnentag]

It should be trivial for the NHTSA to post a link to an existing law that states all steering wheels must be round...if such a law exists.

 

[MichaelP90DL]

More like a horizontal rectangle.

However, RPM Tesla says it will have what I think is a clamp-on device to change it to a more conventional form.

 

[Monkey]

So, a race style steering yoke in place of a wheel is acceptable on exotic cars, but suddenly not acceptable on a high performance sedan? OK, got it. I think...???

That said, I'm not so sure about it either. How can I lazily cruise with one hand on top of the wheel when I'm now forced to hold the yoke in at least one of two of the primary hand positions promoted for safe driving?

 

[jeremymc7]

Either it's legal or it's not. How can they "not be sure". It's up to them to say it's illegal by pointing to specific laws.

Likewise we know that the automotive design laws are DRASTICALLY outdated in the US. In some cases half century or more old. Technology has made substantial improvements. Plenty of those laws were designed when they couldn't even image what's possible now.

US automotive design laws need to be updated to match the rest of the modern world for things like brake lights, turn signals, exterior mirrors, interior mirrors, headlights; lest I go on. Many of which are implements in Europe and Asia and proven to be much safer; but due to decades old laws in the US they are illegal.

 

[Shane23]

The same way that a physical keyboard on mobile devices were a staple and having an “on screen” keyboard was unheard of..

As I type this on my “on screen” keyboard...

.... this too shall pass

bring on the future.. if the goal was to be like every other automaker we wouldn’t be where we are now.. innovation sells.