Steering Wheel / Yoke option

[K.I.T.T.23]

If you're living in a rural/suburban area - and you're just going through suburban roads - you're likely gonna be having a D- experience but still passes.

Yoke completely fails on where modern humanity lives - cities. I live in a house with an alley, getting out of my garage is a min 3-point turn which is miserable with yoke. The second place it fails miserably is when you need to do anything "fast" - grabbing the top of the wheel is very standard - and you'll hate it when you need to do it.

I have to disagree with you on a couple points.
I drive in and out of Colorado Springs and Denver. I think these would qualify as modern cities lol. I do not live or work "down-town" in either city, though I am not suburban or rural at all, so your analogy to driving in alleys is not relevant to me. If I lived in an area like yours or ever frequented tight, alley-like roads I would agree with you, but I do not.

Second; doing things "fast". This is an interesting concept. What you and others that reference grabbing the top of the wheel seem to struggle with is the very un-safe action of crossing the center of the steering wheel (aka, air bag) with your arm when in a panic situation, as well as over-correction in a quick-reaction road situation. Maybe people with this mindset are very right-hand dominant while driving, and would grab the left side of the wheel to pull it to the right, but having grown up with a stick shift, I am fairly accustom to ambidextrous driving (I think that is a thing?) and correct/pull/push with both hands.

I would conclude that there is some logic in your statements, and those with mentalities like yours, though the same could be said to people that cling to ICE and appose all things EV, grasping at any possible flaw in the transition. This is partly supported by the fact that Tesla has made the option for standard wheel; Tesla wants to open up the market. It may also not be the poor design of the yoke, but that there's enough people that can't adapt quickly to change and it is more fiscally responsible to open the market for the Model S up to those that can't adapt or use poor driving habits. Will I hate it or adapt quickly to the new design? Not sure which, but time will tell!

 

[K.I.T.T.23]

The mental gymnastics to make sense of the stupidest decision in recent automotive history is just baffling.

It's horrible, it's terrible, it's unexplainable.

If it was a drive-by-wire system; all of this would be different. But it REALLY is just another, shittier shape for a steering wheel. There's a reason why literally every other car has a "round-ish" wheel. Now, by default, all Tesla's do as well.

So please stop defending the stupid, selfish, idiotic man-child's; equally stupid ideas. Not helpful.

Interesting. even you bring up how wheels are not really round anymore... they are round-ish. So, a straight round wheel is no longer ideal as evident by multiple vehicle designs.
I assume you mean Elon Musk, one of the most successful individuals of our time in your last statement. Sure, he has had some off the wall ideas, but he has also had some brilliant ones, and his socioeconomic status is evidence of that. I think you are in the wrong group friend, my guess is a Honda or Toyota forum may be more your speed. Toyota Corolla is the best selling car in the world! Go over to one of those forums and weigh in on that.

 

[Igotone2]

I’ve had a refreshed Plaid since mid May 2022 and like Kazamm I can’t understand the benefits of the yoke versus the obvious disadvantages. Try loaning your car to someone who has never used the yoke? You are explaining things that shouldn’t have to be explained…? The horn placement is the worst thing ever. And guess what, demand absolutely dried up for these models. The incredible performance of the Plaid still has me not regretting my $135K purchase but you must realize brilliant men can do stupid, stupid things.

 

[AnselmDante]

Try loaning your car to someone who has never used the yoke?

Try loaning a Tesla to someone who has never used one.

Where's the start button?
How do I lock it?
How do I turn it off?
How do I put it in gear?
How do I open the door?

The yoke is the least of your worries if you are loaning out a 2 second vehicle.

 

[jgs]

Also, naming no names, but I like runny eggs too.

In some countries you will not get your license if you cross over steer, exactly because of the airbag.

As I recall, the cross-over restriction existed before airbags did. My vague memory is of being told as a learner that there was some notional risk of your arms getting entangled with one another? I guess this is not much less plausible than tripping over your own feet, which I suppose some people have been known to achieve, so maybe. (And by "maybe" I mean, maybe it is a thing that could actually happen or maybe it is a thing people convinced themselves could happen, because people can convince themselves to freak out about almost anything.)

There's a reason why literally every other car has a "round-ish" wheel. Now, by default, all Tesla's do as well.

There's also a reason why literally [*] every other car has its shifter and turn signal controls on stalks (whether column or floor mounted). So, one out of two?

[*] And before someone comes to ekshully me, let me concede right now that this may be hyperbole and maybe it's only virtually every other car. Works out to be substantially the same thing.

 

[jgs]

Try loaning a Tesla to someone who has never used one.

Where's the start button?

It's a lot easier to explain that there isn't one, than that something has moved.

How do I lock it?

Same.

How do I turn it off?

Same again.

How do I put it in gear?

At least in my cars (2015 S, 2018 3) that have physical control stalks, this is an easy one: "like any other car". If you mean one of the new ones with buttons instead of stalks, yeah, good point, agreed, and add "how do I signal a turn?"

How do I open the door?

On the Models 3 and Y I agree this is a little bit of a hassle, but it's not as safety-critical as being able to operate the car in traffic. If it takes you a few seconds to remember how to open the door, this will almost never put you in danger. (Yes I'm sure we can all come up with a notional counterexample but the point stands.)

The yoke is the least of your worries if you are loaning out a 2 second vehicle.

I disagree, for the reasons noted above. (Although I don't know what you mean by "a 2 second vehicle".) Let me also say, this is based on actual experience with loaning out my vehicles, I'm not just speculating. It's very helpful to be able to tell a nervous new Tesla driver "just ignore the screen if it makes you jumpy. The driving controls and operation in traffic are just like any other car." I would be hesitant to buy one of the new ones, for this reason alone.

 

[Unclepaul]

In many cars, stalks are on the way out as well. Some cars use rotary knobs on the console to select gears etc.
I used to have a Plymouth with push button gear selection on the steering wheel center. Also seen push button gear selection on the dash, left of steering wheel. Some modern cars switch gear ratios with paddles underneath the steering wheel. Some rotate with the steering wheel, others rotate around with the steering wheel.
push button transmission

 

[vcor]

Try loaning a Tesla to someone who has never used one.

Where's the start button?
How do I lock it?
How do I turn it off?
How do I put it in gear?
How do I open the door?

The yoke is the least of your worries if you are loaning out a 2 second vehicle.

I don't loan my car out to others. And these differences make Tesla far less likely to be stolen or carjacked - so these are really great features for me. Then again Hertz doesn't seem to have any problems renting Teslas to new users. Every brand/car is different, with different controls, different locks, and more. Seems most people can figure it all out, but not in 2 seconds.

 

[n2mb_racing]

The lack of stalks is really annoying. I unintentionally start moving in the wrong direction at least once a month on my Plaid. This is over a year of continuous use as my only car. A physical forward / reverse selector would be way better than the stupid touch screen interface.

Also the blinkers on the yoke are dumb and I continue to get them wrong, though less often than the forward / reverse selection.

So, I think transitioning to the wheel instead of yoke doesn't solve the biggest issues. I don't mind the actual yoke shape at all.

 

[AnselmDante]

I don't loan my car out to others. And these differences make Tesla far less likely to be stolen or carjacked - so these are really great features for me. Then again Hertz doesn't seem to have any problems renting Teslas to new users. Every brand/car is different, with different controls, different locks, and more. Seems most people can figure it all out, but not in 2 seconds.

I agree with you. My point was that he was saying the yoke makes it too different from other vehicles when there are MANY things that are different on a Tesla.

The 2 second reference was for its 0-60 time...

 

[K.I.T.T.23]

I agree with you. My point was that he was saying the yoke makes it too different from other vehicles when there are MANY things that are different on a Tesla.

The 2 second reference was for its 0-60 time...

Yeah... I will not be loaning out my car to anyone... maybe the wife from time to time, but she doesn't want to drive it, and I am good with that! Of course, when I bought my Model 3, she said the same thing, and 2 months later her Toyota Camry just sat in the driveway. She would rather drive my 3 than her hybrid.

That said, she loves her Y, so that shouldn't happen this time!

Hate the yoke, love the yoke, you-do-you Boo!

 

[EVRider-FL]

I thought I was going to opt for the round wheel when I order my next S, but I'm torn now. My take away from this thread is that some people love the shape of the yoke, some people hate it, but everyone seems to hate the implementation of the various buttons (especially the horn), and that's going to be the same whether or not I get the yoke. Maybe I'll go for the yoke and pay for the round wheel retrofit if I hate it.

In any case, I'm not doing anything until I have a better idea of when HW4 etc. is likely to show up in the S/X. Hopefully we'll know more in a few months.

 

[Duke846]

I thought I was going to opt for the round wheel when I order my next S, but I'm torn now. My take away from this thread is that some people love the shape of the yoke, some people hate it, but everyone seems to hate the implementation of the various buttons (especially the horn), and that's going to be the same whether or not I get the yoke. Maybe I'll go for the yoke and pay for the round wheel retrofit if I hate it.

In any case, I'm not doing anything until I have a better idea of when HW4 etc. is likely to show up in the S/X. Hopefully we'll know more in a few months.

I have over 200,000 miles driving a tesla, fsd will always be a waste of money. Yes I did the beta yes I got a score of 100, yes it scares the heck out of me.

 

[K.I.T.T.23]

I thought I was going to opt for the round wheel when I order my next S, but I'm torn now. My take away from this thread is that some people love the shape of the yoke, some people hate it, but everyone seems to hate the implementation of the various buttons (especially the horn), and that's going to be the same whether or not I get the yoke. Maybe I'll go for the yoke and pay for the round wheel retrofit if I hate it.

In any case, I'm not doing anything until I have a better idea of when HW4 etc. is likely to show up in the S/X. Hopefully we'll know more in a few months.

Personally I think the round wheel doesn't look right; the car's interior wasn't designed with a round wheel in mind. Also, you are 100% correct: most that do not like the yoke, don't like it because of the buttons, and those don't change with the round wheel. People that legit don't like the yoke design are likely either slow to adapt or live in an environment that requires constant tight turns... in which case a Model 3/Y is likely more what they need anyways, with the tighter turn radius (assuming due to smaller size).

 

[n2mb_racing]

or live in an environment that requires constant tight turns... in which case a Model 3/Y is likely more what they need anyways, with the tighter turn radius (assuming due to smaller size).

Also a nice feature of the Model 3/Y is the increased approach and departure angles! I appreciated not bottoming out on everything in my loaner Model 3, as compared to my S.

 

[K.I.T.T.23]

Also a nice feature of the Model 3/Y is the increased approach and departure angles! I appreciated not bottoming out on everything in my loaner Model 3, as compared to my S.

Interesting. according to Tesla, unless you adjust the ride height, both the S and 3 have the same 5.5 inches of clearance. With the wheel base only being 3 inches longer, I wouldn't think that would make much of a difference requiring a change in approach angles to speed bumps/ramps between the 3 and S.

2 years in my Model 3 and I never bottomed out on anything! Hope the S is the same and your issue was just an operator setting error.

 

[Igotone2]

Several things come to mind when reading this thread. When I was 20 years old and riding motorcycles some shifted on the right side and some shifted on the left side, never caused me any difficulties then! That is not the case now, my 74 year old brain needs a little more time and familiarity before things become automatic. I readily accept new things if they seem to make sense to me. The Plaid’s performance was so compelling I overlooked the yoke and I’m not sorry I did, even after being stung by a $21,000 price reduction. The yoke is OK driving down the road, it’s OK at the drag strip. It’s a pain in the ass when parallel parking or maneuvering in a tight traffic situation at slow speed. The horn button is unforgivable, the turn signals are unfriendly and most of the other buttons are just poor design. For me there are very few advantages and lots of drawbacks. If the new round wheel option had a horn that would honk in the center of the wheel I’ll buy it, wouldn’t care if the new wheel was roundish. A turn signal stalk would be a nice thing as well as windshield wiper stalk with dimmer capability. I’m really dreaming here aren’t I? Flame away….

 

[EVRider-FL]

I have over 200,000 miles driving a tesla, fsd will always be a waste of money. Yes I did the beta yes I got a score of 100, yes it scares the heck out of me.

What does that have to do with the yoke wheel?

 

[Duke846]

What does that have to do with the yoke wheel?

Response to his HW4 wait. Unless you plan to FSD I wouldn’t wait for anything. Never a better time to buy new then right now.

 

[Duke846]

Several things come to mind when reading this thread. When I was 20 years old and riding motorcycles some shifted on the right side and some shifted on the left side, never caused me any difficulties then! That is not the case now, my 74 year old brain needs a little more time and familiarity before things become automatic. I readily accept new things if they seem to make sense to me. The Plaid’s performance was so compelling I overlooked the yoke and I’m not sorry I did, even after being stung by a $21,000 price reduction. The yoke is OK driving down the road, it’s OK at the drag strip. It’s a pain in the ass when parallel parking or maneuvering in a tight traffic situation at slow speed. The horn button is unforgivable, the turn signals are unfriendly and most of the other buttons are just poor design. For me there are very few advantages and lots of drawbacks. If the new round wheel option had a horn that would honk in the center of the wheel I’ll buy it, wouldn’t care if the new wheel was roundish. A turn signal stalk would be a nice thing as well as windshield wiper stalk with dimmer capability. I’m really dreaming here aren’t I? Flame away….

The yoke is the last true test for tesla cult members. I did a Turo Plaid in 2021 and failed the test miserably. Kept my pd3 and waited for the inevitable round wheel to return. Glad I did because I would have lost my A on the Plaid and been pretty bitter about some of the broken promises the car now delivers.