Steering Wheel

[BluestarE3]

I can picture the headlines: Drivers blame accidents on unorthodox joystick/yoke/whatever

It would be one of the surest ways to doom the Model 3 from mass market acceptance.

 

[Garlan Garner]

Joysticks? Nightmare for amputees.

 

[Mishakim]

Joysticks? Nightmare for amputees.

Are they any worse than wheel and pedals? I think that depends entirely on the user. It seems to be the preferred form of control for powered wheelchairs for people with even severe limitations.

 

[rickrickrick]

One simple reason is that the steering wheel is a source of impact trauma in a collision. Get rid of it, and you have much more room between the driver and the airbag/dash.

@jkk_

This

 

[Garlan Garner]

Are they any worse than wheel and pedals? I think that depends entirely on the user. It seems to be the preferred form of control for powered wheelchairs for people with even severe limitations.

For amputees they are. Amputees don't have hands. Why would a joystick ever work?

 

[JeffK]

For amputees they are. Amputees don't have hands. Why would a joystick ever work?

I think the meaning was people without the use of legs/feet. They cannot use the pedals hence the joystick instead of a steering wheel.

 

[Mishakim]

For amputees they are. Amputees don't have hands. Why would a joystick ever work?

My point was that I don't see how a steering wheel is any better. If you have enough control to rotate a steering wheel, you have enough to manipulate a joystick. In some cases, the joystick seems like it would be better, because it requires less range of gross motion, and can be located wherever it needs to be for the user to reach it.
I'm not an amputee, so I don't actually know, I'm just speculating. Ultimately, my point was that it seems pointless to say you can't deviate from the one established control design because the change might not work for some small set of the population. You're just as likely to have a set for which the current system doesn't work and the change does. What's needed is flexibility.

 

[dsvick]

Just shape it like a game console controller and everyone under the age of 21 will be able to use it - some better than others ....

And, yes, I do want the right trigger to fire the lasers!!

 

[Jayc]

Technically speaking, one big advantage with a steering wheel is that it sits symmetric to the driver so when driver keeps both hands on the wheel the rotation forces are self opposing in nature. Therefore, it is very immune to involuntary rotation whenever the car goes over unexpected bumps or uneven road.

In contrast, try imagine what would happen if you go over an unexpected pothole at 70mph with one hand on the joystick

 

[Garlan Garner]

My point was that I don't see how a steering wheel is any better. If you have enough control to rotate a steering wheel, you have enough to manipulate a joystick. In some cases, the joystick seems like it would be better, because it requires less range of gross motion, and can be located wherever it needs to be for the user to reach it.
I'm not an amputee, so I don't actually know, I'm just speculating. Ultimately, my point was that it seems pointless to say you can't deviate from the one established control design because the change might not work for some small set of the population. You're just as likely to have a set for which the current system doesn't work and the change does. What's needed is flexibility.

I understand what you are saying. Thanks for the clarification.