Steering Wheel Modes (effort settings) difference

[melvladimir]

1. Does anyone know if there is any difference in power consumption among these modes?
2. And what mode is better from the point of wear of power steering components?

I like "Sport", I am used to the heavier steering wheel, so "Sport" is comfortable. But only if it is better in both items above.

I think the less effort, the more power it uses, and the more wearing effect.

Quotation from the manual:

Adjusting Steering Effort​

You can adjust the feel and sensitivity of the steering system to suit your personal preference:

1. On the touchscreen, touch Controls > Pedals & Steering > Steering Mode.
2. Choose a steering option:
   • Comfort - Reduces the effort required to turn the steering wheel. In town, Model 3 feels easier to drive and park.
   • Standard - Tesla believes that this setting offers the best handling and response in most conditions.
   • Sport - Increases the effort required to turn the steering wheel. When driving at higher speeds, Model 3 feels more responsive.

 

[brianbcc]

I just use what's comfortable for me. The others feel too loose, so I stick with Sport

 

[melvladimir]

Don't have any proof yet, but I suspect the "Sport" mode is a little bit more consumptive (~2%). Returned back to "Standard". It is really difficult to measure it.

 

[Lindenwood]

It’s hard to imagine that Sport would use the most power since it seems to provide the least electromechanical influence.

I mostly use Comfort mode, to include when I am racing. I know I I am not the only racer using Comfort mode.

That said, I haven’t used Sport since adding my front Lower Control Arm and Compression Rod bearings, plus my harnesses that significantly reduce the physical effort to stay in the seat. Maybe with the more precise setup and firmer seat positioning, Sport would offer improved precision?

 

[melvladimir]

It’s hard to imagine that Sport would use the most power since it seems to provide the least electromechanical influence.

Yeah, it's true. I think the same way. But, maybe since I have lane control and use autopilot a lot (I guess more than 90% of the freeway drive, and line change is manual) "Sport" mode increases consumption.
It looks ridiculous. But I have to double-check. I'll have a long ride, so I'll try sport mode this time.

Sport would offer improved precision?

I don't think so. Maybe for high-speed driving, but for less than 100 km/h - I have my doubts. I just like a heavy steering wheel, that's it)

 

[Lindenwood]

I don't think so. Maybe for high-speed driving, but for less than 100 km/h - I have my doubts. I just like a heavy steering wheel, that's it)

Oh I 100% was talking about timed, competitive racing.

 

[Lindenwood]

Yeah, it's true. I think the same way. But, maybe since I have lane control and use autopilot a lot (I guess more than 90% of the freeway drive, and line change is manual) "Sport" mode increases consumption.
It looks ridiculous. But I have to double-check. I'll have a long ride, so I'll try sport mode this time.

I am very curious what data you are using to support this assertion. It is already hard enough to validate the changes known for 3-5% differences in efficiency (wheel covers, spoilers, front lips, etc). I am frankly a bit skeptical that nobody would have noticed it until now without deliberate, controlled, repeatable testing and results.

 

[Unclepaul]

Sport gives less assist, so perhaps it would also use a little less juice and wear components a little less.

Imagine most would simply use the mode that feels best to them.

 

[gearchruncher]

The idea that the steering mode could make any measurable difference is silly, and ignores physics.

First, there is no physical way that it can make a difference when using AP. The car must be steered. The car must do all the steering. It must stay in the lane. The energy to do this is the same because all the work to steer must come from the car. Is there even proof that AP does anything different depending on the steering mode?

Now, when steering yourself, you do perform some of the work. Let's look at how much work that can be:
Let's say that you are steering constantly. You're putting 100 newtons of force (~10kg / 20lbs) into the wheel at a 250cm radius. You're a madman, spinning the wheel at 100 RPM the whole time. You've been training for this all your life. You were born to spin a wheel.

That's 30 watts of power.

So if you do this for one hour, you've saved 30Wh. Meanwhile, at 60MPH, the car has used 15,000Wh.

You've saved 0.2% energy. But this assumes you're doing a slalom all the way down the road. And you're very, very sweaty at the end.

In real driving? Yeah, it's not even 0.002%.

FYI, the steering rack is so low power that it's a 12V device, not a HV device. It can run off the small 12V battery in the car.

(For fun, let's expand this. A WORLD CLASS bicyclist can put out 300W for an hour. So 300Wh. Again, the car uses 15kWh in that time. So if you could get a world class cyclist to pedal in the back of your car and put that energy into the battery, the car would gain 2% efficiency.)

(Second expansion: The max power draw of the electric rack is about 50A, which is 600W at 12V. So if the rack was drawing peak power all the time, it would change your efficiency by 4%. Meanwhile, you can drive a car without power steering at all on the highway with one finger, so guess what the average steering load is? It's zero. Power steering is about assist at low speeds.)

 

[gearchruncher]

Sport gives less assist, so perhaps it would also use a little less juice and wear components a little less.

To steer the car requires a specific amount of work. This is independent of the steering mode. If you don't do this work, the car goes off the road.

The question is does this work come from the steering wheel, or the assist motor?

Unless you know the deep specifics of the steering rack, it's impossible to say if the motor doing the work or the human doing the work would wear components more or less. Most of the components experience the same wear as they just see the sum of forces from the human and motor. A few of the gears might experience different wear.

 

[melvladimir]

I am very curious what data you are using to support this assertion.

Built-in consumption graph. It sounds absurd, but after I switched on "Standard" mode the average decreased from 152 to 150 Wh/km. Yeah, there are dozens of possible reasons for that, but the placebo effect was instant)

The idea that the steering mode could make any measurable difference is silly, and ignores physics.

I feel the same way. But I still want to try to check it.

 

[gearchruncher]

I feel the same way. But I still want to try to check it.

Checking it via the energy consumption will never result in data that has all the other variables removed.
If you really care, grab a current clamp and put it on the wire going to the steering rack. Go drive a 100km route with it in one mode and integrate the power. Do it again in the other mode on the same route.

Then take the difference in watts do some other math to determine the efficiency gain.

 

[Lindenwood]

Built-in consumption graph. It sounds absurd, but after I switched on "Standard" mode the average decreased from 152 to 150 Wh/km. Yeah, there are dozens of possible reasons for that, but the placebo effect was instant)

Unfortunately, I think this might sum up the challenge ahead of you in this quest to validate your hypothesis .

 

[subieworx]

It’s hard to imagine that Sport would use the most power since it seems to provide the least electromechanical influence.

I mostly use Comfort mode, to include when I am racing. I know I I am not the only racer using Comfort mode.

That said, I haven’t used Sport since adding my front Lower Control Arm and Compression Rod bearings, plus my harnesses that significantly reduce the physical effort to stay in the seat. Maybe with the more precise setup and firmer seat positioning, Sport would offer improved precision?

I'm with you. Only ever have mine in comfort mode as anything else requires too much effort and takes away from feel on track.