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The refreshed Model S & X incorporate the boldest design change in Tesla’s history, at least, since the EV maker unveiled the Model 3 without an instrument cluster back in 2016.
The new Model S Long Range & Plaid have started customer deliveries and they have been met with unanimous admiration for their performance and tech.
Especially the Plaid Model S which has been setting world records as the first production vehicle that can go 0 to 60 miles per hour in under 2 seconds. According to Elon Musk, the Plaid Model S accelerates 20% quicker than gravity.
Related news: Elon Musk Confirms AI Gear Shifter In New Model S & X Coming To All Vehicles
The tech in the vehicles has also been met with equal awe. The new Model S & X come standard with an AMD GPU on par with the latest gaming consoles such as the Playstation 5.
The new Model S & X also have active noise cancelation where microphones in the vehicle emit sound waves which cancel out road noise giving the vehicle a quiet luxurious drive.
However, despite the universal praise for the vehicles, there has been one area of consistent controversy, and that is the vehicles’ rectangular (yoke) steering wheel.
This controversy has once again come to the forefront following MKBHD’s review of the Model S Plaid. In his review, MKBHD laid out several things he loves about his new Model S Plaid and some minor complaints.
However, despite overall loving the vehicle, MKBHD had sharp criticism when it comes to the Yoke steering wheel.
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MKBHD’s main complaint was Tesla literally reinvented the wheel. This means drivers have to retrain their muscle memory learned over years of using a circular steering wheel. According to MKBHD, the relearning process causes initial awkwardness when maneuvering the vehicle.
On top of this, MKBHD says the capacitive touch buttons on the steering wheel are what make the yoke steering wheel especially challenging.
In the new Model S and Model X capacitive touch buttons are used to control most day-to-day driving tasks such as turning on the vehicle lights, turn signal, and sounding the horn.
Since the buttons are not physical buttons, MKBHD has found himself having to look down for the most basic of tasks. On top of this, since the buttons are touch-sensitive, they get accidentally triggered when turning the steering wheel.
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This issue has also been reported by other Long Range and Plaid Model S owners. Some Tesla fans have even gone so far as to claim they will only purchase the new Model S if it comes with a conventional steering wheel.
However, Elon Musk doesn’t seem to be backing off from the yoke steering wheel. Musk rather than abandoning the unconventional controller believes the vehicles’ software can play a part in mitigating its shortfalls.
Musk is fond of the futuristic look the steering wheel gives the vehicle and the unobstructed view they allow to the instrument cluster.
As a result, Musk believes they can have the best of both worlds by mitigating the accidental touches through software.
Related news: Elon Musk Confirms Tesla Will Open Superchargers To Other EVs This Year
“in general with interfaces, all input is an error. With each software update, the car’s intuition will get better. You will need to press buttons less & less & it will know when to ignore accidental button presses,” said Musk on Twitter.
Good review & fair critique. In general with interfaces, all input is error. With each software update, the car’s intuition will get better. You will need to press buttons less & less & it will know when to ignore accidental button presses.— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 23, 2021
Musk is confident this is the approach Tesla should take, he ruled out any chance the EV maker at least offering a conventional steering wheel as an option.
No— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 23, 2021
Elon Musk being so confident with Tesla’s yoke future also suggests, the Cybertruck, which Tesla has only shown off with a yoke steering wheel, might also have this unconventional controller.
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It’s yet unclear how this might impact Cybertruck sales. Tesla’s post-apocalyptic truck already gets criticized for being too futuristic and unappealing to the average truck buyer.
However, according to reservation trackers, it is estimated the Cybertruck has already amassed over a million reservations.
This suggests despite conventional wisdom, Tesla’s gamble with the Cybertruck might pay off big. Tesla’s recent decision to move Cybertruck’s production ahead of the Model Y at Giga Texas also suggests the EV maker is confident with the truck’s prospects.
We still don’t have final confirmation whether the Cybertruck will come with a yoke steering wheel or not. We will however keep you up to date as Tesla releases more information. Make sure to visit our site torquenews.com/electric-vehicles regularly for the latest updates.
So what do you think? Do you think Tesla should offer a conventional steering wheel option for the Model S & X? Also would you still buy the Cybertruck if the vehicle is only offered with a yoke steering wheel? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below.
For more information check out: Elon Musk Confirms Tesla FSD Wide Release ‘Download Button’ Will Not Come Until FSD Beta V10/11 Also, see Tesla Model 3 Draws Comparisons To A Boat After Fording Through A Flood
Tinsae Aregay has been following Tesla and The evolution of the EV space on a daily basis for several years. He covers everything about Tesla from the cars to Elon Musk, the energy business, and autonomy. Follow Tinsae on Twitter at @TinsaeAregay for daily Tesla news.
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Comments
I was considering buying a
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I was considering buying a Cyber truck or a Model S. Now that I know they won't be offered with a conventional steering wheel, all bets are off! It's a shame, because all I know about the vehicles I like, except for that damn steering yoke! It belongs only in race cars and not forced onto the general public. A circular steering wheel works fine. Try doing a 180 turn or parallel parking with a damn steering yoke. What arrogance!
Everyone is entitled to their
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In reply to I was considering buying a by Gilles Wilcott (not verified)
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I don’t love the idea yoke… yet. But I like it. I also am willing to give new things a try. I imagine people said the same types of things when the automatic transmission was first introduced. “My stick works just fine” etc. Don’t knock it til you try it brother.
I think that I could learn to
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I think that I could learn to live with a yolk steering wheel, but I also believe that Tesla should offer the standard round wheel as an option. The actual benefits of having a yolk steering wheel are minimal at best, and it's really just a gimmick. Trying to look cool and different. But seeing that it would take almost nothing for Tesla to offer the standard, round wheel, they should just do it. Then again I think that Tesla should have offered the Model X with traditional doors as an option as well. But I guess that is essentially what the Model Y is, and at a lower price too.
Microphones do not emit
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Microphones do not emit anything! Noise cancelling works by the microphones picking up the noise and clever software producing anti noise from the speakers!
Well....I guess this solves
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Well....I guess this solves my problem...F150 Lightning of Cybertruck. Too bad, I was pretty excited about the Cybertruck but I absolutely don't want a yoke which is going to lack a lot of hand positions that are possible with a wheel. It just looks stupid too.