Thoughts on Yoke from Plaid owner

[WilliamG]

Yes, I'm talking about manually driving the car not necessarily autopilot although I think the yoke gives you less control points for taking over even if you are on autopilot because you have significantly less than 360° of control points with the yoke. I've never read in my life that having your hands on the top of the steering wheel is unsafe in any of my operating manuals of any of my vehicles

OK you've probably never read in your operating manual that it's unsafe to be eating a burrito while driving, either. It's common sense... If your arm is draped over a wheel you're not going to react as quickly.

Honestly, at this point there's nothing further to discuss. Sell the car, get a new wheel - do one of the two.

 

[strider]

You need to be able to react in a microsecond if you need to take control. Draping a hand over the top of the wheel negates safety, whereas the yoke reinforces the 9 and 3 driving position which is the safest. As mentioned, the car is not for you, - best to move on, or just replace the yoke as some have done.

Your statement is true and perfectly highlights why (IMO) the yoke is a joke.

The yoke only reinforces 9 and 3 when driving in a straight line or in a very shallow turn. But because Tesla didn't change the steering ratio or use steer by wire like Lexus is doing, if the yoke is turned to 90 degrees and beyond it is IMPOSSIBLE to keep your hands at 9 and 3. There is literally NOTHING to grip.

You also may need to react in a microsecond when, say, making a 90-degree turn across traffic. With the yoke you will only have one hand on the wheel and I know many people push up from the bottom to turn. If you need to rapidly reverse the direction of the turn your hand is not gripping the yoke to allow you to pull the yoke back in the other direction.

As I have said all along, if you like the yoke, good on you. It's your car, drive it, enjoy it. But please stop making claims that the yoke is somehow safer than a wheel because it's BS.

 

[WilliamG]

Your statement is true and perfectly highlights why (IMO) the yoke is a joke.

The yoke only reinforces 9 and 3 when driving in a straight line or in a very shallow turn. But because Tesla didn't change the steering ratio or use steer by wire like Lexus is doing, if the yoke is turned to 90 degrees and beyond it is IMPOSSIBLE to keep your hands at 9 and 3. There is literally NOTHING to grip.

You also may need to react in a microsecond when, say, making a 90-degree turn across traffic. With the yoke you will only have one hand on the wheel and I know many people push up from the bottom to turn. If you need to rapidly reverse the direction of the turn your hand is not gripping the yoke to allow you to pull the yoke back in the other direction.

As I have said all along, if you like the yoke, good on you. It's your car, drive it, enjoy it. But please stop making claims that the yoke is somehow safer than a wheel because it's BS.

Easy, tiger. I never said a yoke is safer than a wheel. I just said draping a hand over the top of a wheel isn’t safe.

 

[Plaid to Mod 3]

OK you've probably never read in your operating manual that it's unsafe to be eating a burrito while driving, either. It's common sense... If your arm is draped over a wheel you're not going to react as quickly.

Honestly, at this point there's nothing further to discuss. Sell the car, get a new wheel - do one of the two.

I disagree that the top portion of the steering wheel is an unsafe place to control the car from plain and simple. I think common sense would even dictate some of that. When your hands are on the top portion of the steering wheel you have gravity on your side to be able to maneuver the car to the left or right in a more effective and quicker fashion

 

[WilliamG]

I disagree that the top portion of the steering wheel is an unsafe place to control the car from plain and simple. I think common sense would even dictate some of that. When your hands are on the top portion of the steering wheel you have gravity on your side to be able to maneuver the car to the left or right in a more effective and quicker fashion

Numerous threads on yoke vs wheel already exist. Heck, I started one of them.

 

[Plaid to Mod 3]

Numerous threads on yoke vs wheel already exist. Heck, I started one of them.

Appreciate your thoughts

 

[mtbwalt]

I was not surprised when the car I ordered 6 months before was delivered with a yoke because it was made obvious when I purchased that it has a yoke.

If I ended up hating it after using it I would have bought one of many full wheel conversions. But I like the yoke

 

[Destiny1701]

I’m going to comment as I happen to have a new Model 3 Long range/boost and I actually changed the wheel to a yoke. I’m fortunate to have the traditional stalks with the yoke style steering.

Let me start by saying over the past few months I’ve come to enjoy the yoke much make than the wheel in our recently picked up ModelY Perf.

I find my hands rest just fine on the bottom of the flat section and much easier to relax for longer distance. My hands are actually more engaged at 3 and 9 than they ever were with a wheel and my lazy tendency to drive with one hand at the top and the other Across the passenger seat or simply resting on the centre column. Last weekend we had to drive 3.5 hrs return for kids soccer and we took the MYP first time. I will admit the wheel was uncomfortable for me and I found it awkward to rest my hands at the bottom on an angle.
My arms and hands are now more relaxed after driving a yoke than a wheel…something I had had not predicted.

Another interesting fact I discovered is that given the yoke is weight balanced to favour always being in the straight position (gravity), whenever I’m taking a turn it tends wants to return to its original straight position. Since there is no top section, the bottom section wants to remain ….well..at the bottom. Coming out of a turn has become so simple given the car wants to remain straight. Hard to explain but oddly it also helps with the car remaining straighter within the lanes (Less drift).

All in all, i don’t see the yoke as an issue. I’ve driven the new MS and I found the lack of stalks, horn placement and signal lights that move position a bit unnerving. Having a Yoke in an M3/MY is the sweet spot imo.

I’d try to ascertain if it’s the yoke that’s bothering you or the lack of stalks. If it’s the latter, no AMarket wheel will solve that particular issue.

Used to be an S owner from 2016-2021 so I do know the diff in both drives. MS is comfort touring speed while M3 is a superb handling dart. Different.

 

[Plaid to Mod 3]

I’m going to comment as I happen to have a new Model 3 Long range/boost and I actually changed the wheel to a yoke. I’m fortunate to have the traditional stalks with the yoke style steering.

Let me start by saying over the past few months I’ve come to enjoy the yoke much make than the wheel in our recently picked up ModelY Perf.

I find my hands rest just fine on the bottom of the flat section and much easier to relax for longer distance. My hands are actually more engaged at 3 and 9 than they ever were with a wheel and my lazy tendency to drive with one hand at the top and the other Across the passenger seat or simply resting on the centre column. Last weekend we had to drive 3.5 hrs return for kids soccer and we took the MYP first time. I will admit the wheel was uncomfortable for me and I found it awkward to rest my hands at the bottom on an angle.
My arms and hands are now more relaxed after driving a yoke than a wheel…something I had had not predicted.

Another interesting fact I discovered is that given the yoke is weight balanced to favour always being in the straight position (gravity), whenever I’m taking a turn it tends wants to return to its original straight position. Since there is no top section, the bottom section wants to remain ….well..at the bottom. Coming out of a turn has become so simple given the car wants to remain straight. Hard to explain but oddly it also helps with the car remaining straighter within the lanes (Less drift).

All in all, i don’t see the yoke as an issue. I’ve driven the new MS and I found the lack of stalks, horn placement and signal lights that move position a bit unnerving. Having a Yoke in an M3/MY is the sweet spot imo.

I’d try to ascertain if it’s the yoke that’s bothering you or the lack of stalks. If it’s the latter, no AMarket wheel will solve that particular issue.

Yes for me it's the yoke I greatly prefer to have 360° of control points available at all times versus missing the top portion as you do with the yoke. Less degrees of a circle available equates to less control points in my estimation

 

[Hayseed_MS]

I’m going to comment as I happen to have a new Model 3 Long range/boost and I actually changed the wheel to a yoke. I’m fortunate to have the traditional stalks with the yoke style steering.

Let me start by saying over the past few months I’ve come to enjoy the yoke much make than the wheel in our recently picked up ModelY Perf.

I find my hands rest just fine on the bottom of the flat section and much easier to relax for longer distance. My hands are actually more engaged at 3 and 9 than they ever were with a wheel and my lazy tendency to drive with one hand at the top and the other Across the passenger seat or simply resting on the centre column. Last weekend we had to drive 3.5 hrs return for kids soccer and we took the MYP first time. I will admit the wheel was uncomfortable for me and I found it awkward to rest my hands at the bottom on an angle.
My arms and hands are now more relaxed after driving a yoke than a wheel…something I had had not predicted.

Another interesting fact I discovered is that given the yoke is weight balanced to favour always being in the straight position (gravity), whenever I’m taking a turn it tends wants to return to its original straight position. Since there is no top section, the bottom section wants to remain ….well..at the bottom. Coming out of a turn has become so simple given the car wants to remain straight. Hard to explain but oddly it also helps with the car remaining straighter within the lanes (Less drift).

All in all, i don’t see the yoke as an issue. I’ve driven the new MS and I found the lack of stalks, horn placement and signal lights that move position a bit unnerving. Having a Yoke in an M3/MY is the sweet spot imo.

I’d try to ascertain if it’s the yoke that’s bothering you or the lack of stalks. If it’s the latter, no AMarket wheel will solve that particular issue.

Used to be an S owner from 2016-2021 so I do know the diff in both drives. MS is comfort touring speed while M3 is a superb handling dart. Different.

View attachment 820669View attachment 820670

Wait, you put a yoke in the car and you are still alive to post those pics?

 

[joshdrinkswine]

A month into ownership, I really like the yoke, including the buttons. It was incredibly well thought out, but requires a bit of a mindshift from the way we’ve been driving before.

I also spent a long time adjusting the yoke position to get it right. That’s not to say my hands don’t occasionally get tired, but you can absolutely control with one hand for a few moments to get blood flowing back to the hands. I’ll very often leave a hand on top, side or bottom of the yoke and leave the other on my lap. Seats are also incredibly comfortable which makes longer drives a breeze now.

Not a dealbreaker, just a big change. I had to drive an ICE car the other day and almost forgot to brake because no regen!

 

[Destiny1701]

Wait, you put a yoke in the car and you are still alive to post those pics?

Haha. Good one lol.

So my wife won’t allow it in the new MYP so yes in that respect I’m alive as long I as leave ‘her’ wheel alone lol.

 

[_Redshift_]

Hello, here is a email I just sent to [email protected] in case it is of any value to other owners or potential owners of the Mod S:

Hello, I am an owner of the 2022 Mod S Plaid since Mar 22 and have some feedback after multiple road trips and 5,000 miles.

I am planning on selling my Plaid next week at a 40K loss and buying a Mod 3, which is disappointing because I really like everything about the Plaid minus the yoke. You guys did a really good job on that car.

I have noticed on road trips that the Plaid is the most fatiguing car I have ever driven by far. This is because there is no balance points on the yoke as there is on a 360 degree steering wheel. Also, the driver position can not be easily modified to release blood flow into different parts of the body, as it can with a 360 degree steering wheel.

Over the last Month or so, I have driven my Plaid from Southern CA to WA and from WA to OR several times. It is highly fatiguing to operate manually to the point where I am forced have the autopilot on nearly all the time.

I like the autopilot and I think it does a pretty good job. My problem is that I do not want to be forced into using the autopilot all the time because I can not operate the car in a reasonable or efficient way manually. I was formerly a US Air Force pilot and while automated features such as autopilot are very nice, there is simply no substitute for being able to manually operate the vehicle when needed or wanted. The most dangerous pilots I ever flew with were the ones that had to rely so much on autopilot because there were not very skilled in manually operating the aircraft. Every once in a while the autopilot puts me in a bad position on the road, a position I would not have put myself, and that is going to equate to more accidents over time. This is unacceptable in my opinion. The driver experience becomes exclusively reacting to what the computer is going to do next and this is also fatiguing over long periods of time.

For instance, on my last road trip a couple of days ago, I challenged myself to take the car off autopilot for 5 minutes a couple of time. Within 15 seconds I had the autopilot back on because of how fatiguing the yoke is for long trips. Do you put your hand on the right side? The Left side? Evern worse, do you put you hands on both sides and see which ones weighs do the yoke faster. Also there is no ability so shift driving positions to change blood flow in the body in those positions.

In addition, the car is so much fun to drive and a steering wheel would allow the operator to drive the car more, which is good, enjoyable, and fun with this car.

As stated above, next week I am selling my Plaid at a 40K loss and moving into a Mod 3. I'd really rather not have to do this and I have heard rumblings that a steering wheel replacement option may become available for the Mod S soon. If this it the case, please let me know. I'd hate to sell my Plaid to later find this out because I really like the car otherwise.

As state above, I was a US Air Force pilot for a while so I may have a better sense of human ergonomics and interactions with equipment than most.

Please forward this feedback to the highest level possible and let me know if I can be of further assistance. Thank you for your time, and thank you for helping the world shift to sustainable energy.

I feel you, man. Yoke is the top reason for me to be looking at other EVs as a replacement for my S.

 

[Hayseed_MS]

I feel you, man. Yoke is the top reason for me to be looking at other EVs as a replacement for my S.

As much as I do not understand this level of dislike for the yoke, I respect your position and you will pick a car that you makes you happy. The yoke is not for everyone - just no need for the robe tearing that some do here.

There are a lot of good cars out there - and most with a round wheel. Report back on what you get and how it compares to Tesla ownership.

 

[Plaid to Mod 3]

As much as I do not understand this level of dislike for the yoke, I respect your position and you will pick a car that you makes you happy. The yoke is not for everyone - just no need for the robe tearing that some do here.

There are a lot of good cars out there - and most with a round wheel. Report back on what you get and how it compares to Tesla ownership.

I'm glad you can make it work for yourself. Actually I was in favor of the yoke prior to doing some long distance trips with it and that completely changed my mind. It's to the point now that I have to use autopilot because I have no ability to operate the vehicle for extended periods of time and that's what I don't like-- being forced into autopilot because I can't manually operate the car effectively. Sort of like cycling or hiking or what not it's the long endurance trips that really test the equipment and how well it works with your body

 

[HP Man]

I can't understand why this thread has gone on for so long. The guy doesn't like his plaid and wants to sell. He should do so then. End of story. I also don't understand all the hate expressed for the yoke. If you don't like it, don't buy the car -- period. Buying the car and then complaining about it is puzzling to me as the yoke and lack of stalks were never secrets nor hidden features.

 

[Plaid to Mod 3]

Actually I liked prior to doing long distance trips and then I completely hated it. I'm just posting here because I hear a lot of issues with the yoke at slow speeds but I'm here to say I've got some big problems with it for endurance trips trying to manually operate the car. It forces me into using autopilot nearly 100% of the time because I can't operate the car efficiently and I don't like this.

 

[SO16]

I can't understand why this thread has gone on for so long. The guy doesn't like his plaid and wants to sell. He should do so then. End of story. I also don't understand all the hate expressed for the yoke. If you don't like it, don't buy the car -- period. Buying the car and then complaining about it is puzzling to me as the yoke and lack of stalks were never secrets nor hidden features.

If I didn’t like the yoke, I’d probably go for this…

Custom Circular Round Steering Wheel Replacement for Tesla Model S/X 2022-2024

Tesla Model S and Model X 2022 Plaid FULL Traditional Round, circle, circular, full steering wheel replacement, Steering Wheel Replacement for Tesla Model S/X upgrade with custom options including leather colors, carbon fiber finish and also heating options. Bespoke, personalized to your liking...

pimpmyev.com

 

[_Redshift_]

As much as I do not understand this level of dislike for the yoke, I respect your position and you will pick a car that you makes you happy. The yoke is not for everyone - just no need for the robe tearing that some do here.

There are a lot of good cars out there - and most with a round wheel. Report back on what you get and how it compares to Tesla ownership.

While I am cool with people who might actually like the yoke, I have to ask them this:

What particular feature of driving was improved by adding the yoke?

The tight turn situation is demonstrably worse.
The capacitive button is demonstrably worse.

Then, why wonder about the level of dislike?

Yoke is a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. Yes, you might say it improves the visibility of the road ahead. But visibility is not a problem, and never was. Otherwise all the round wheels would have been replaced long while back in the evolution of the automobiles.

Here’s is the thing: I’m sitting in my 3 and looking at the road ahead as I sit in a parking lot waiting to pick up someone. The round wheels top is about an inch below the windshield’s bottom. Why? You are supposed to have the wheel lower so the airbag is aimed at your chest as much as possible for safety. Thus there is no issue with visibility at all.

There goes the one argument that can be made for the yoke to exist.

I think the yoke’s primary purpose is to just look ‘cool’.

But it’s design is insipid and functionality not well thought out at all. Zero attention to ergonomics.

 

[WilliamG]

While I am cool with people who might actually like the yoke, I have to ask them this:

What particular feature of driving was improved by adding the yoke?

The tight turn situation is demonstrably worse.
The capacitive button is demonstrably worse.

Then, why wonder about the level of dislike?

Yoke is a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. Yes, you might say it improves the visibility of the road ahead. But visibility is not a problem, and never was. Otherwise all the round wheels would have been replaced long while back in the evolution of the automobiles.

Here’s is the thing: I’m sitting in my 3 and looking at the road ahead as I sit in a parking lot waiting to pick up someone. The round wheels top is about an inch below the windshield’s bottom. Why? You are supposed to have the wheel lower so the airbag is aimed at your chest as much as possible for safety. Thus there is no issue with visibility at all.

There goes the one argument that can be made for the yoke to exist.

I think the yoke’s primary purpose is to just look ‘cool’.

But it’s design is insipid and functionality not well thought out at all. Zero attention to ergonomics.

And here we go again.

I can manage the yoke in a lot of situations. I can manage the steering wheel in all situations. There are times I prefer the yoke and there are times I prefer a wheel. There’s never a time where a wheel is awkward, though…

So overall a wheel is better because it’s never a pain in the ass. A yoke is occasionally an utter pain in the ass.

Now let’s move on.