Photo: Tesla
The Tesla Semi features a round steering wheel with no stalks and touch controls, according to the latest official photos. The same layout will come to the Tesla Model 3/Y soon, says Chris Zheng, a reputable Tesla leaker.
The steering yoke in the Model S/X and the Cybertruck took many by surprise, featuring some weird design and functional choices. For instance, the touch controls on the steering yoke replaced the turn-signal buttons, so there’s no need for that stalk anymore. The gear stalk is also unnecessary, the controls being migrated to the main display. Although weird, Tesla’s yoke steering was later adopted by other brands, including Lexus and Toyota.
The attention it gives to the steering wheel is bizarre for a company that aims to have autonomous driving cars soon. Nevertheless, Tesla is not done with modifications to the steering wheel, and new changes are slated to arrive in the Model 3/Y range. According to Chris Zheng, who has offered reliable insider information about Tesla plans in the past, Tesla’s core models will feature a new steering wheel. This would not look much different from the one in the Tesla Semi.
If you recall the latest cabin pictures from the Semi, the central steering wheel is an attention grabber. It is still round, thank goodness! But it features turn-signal touch buttons on the left spoke. These are positioned up/down, mimicking the turn-signal stalk movements. Being stationary, they seem less intuitive to operate, though. These changes will also arrive in Model 3/Y, but no timeline has been confirmed.
While people still debate whether placing the left-right turn indicator vertically buttons is appropriate (they are the same on the Model S/X steering yoke), Tesla will undoubtedly benefit from the cost reduction. Dropping the two stalks alone could account for a nice cost saving, not to mention production streamlining. And this paves the way for the autonomous driving era that Elon Musk keeps promising to start “next year.”
The attention it gives to the steering wheel is bizarre for a company that aims to have autonomous driving cars soon. Nevertheless, Tesla is not done with modifications to the steering wheel, and new changes are slated to arrive in the Model 3/Y range. According to Chris Zheng, who has offered reliable insider information about Tesla plans in the past, Tesla’s core models will feature a new steering wheel. This would not look much different from the one in the Tesla Semi.
If you recall the latest cabin pictures from the Semi, the central steering wheel is an attention grabber. It is still round, thank goodness! But it features turn-signal touch buttons on the left spoke. These are positioned up/down, mimicking the turn-signal stalk movements. Being stationary, they seem less intuitive to operate, though. These changes will also arrive in Model 3/Y, but no timeline has been confirmed.
While people still debate whether placing the left-right turn indicator vertically buttons is appropriate (they are the same on the Model S/X steering yoke), Tesla will undoubtedly benefit from the cost reduction. Dropping the two stalks alone could account for a nice cost saving, not to mention production streamlining. And this paves the way for the autonomous driving era that Elon Musk keeps promising to start “next year.”
The 2023 Model 3/Y will also remove the left and right paddles, sliding gearshift, and touch turn signals. pic.twitter.com/WDCqcRccu2
— Chris Zheng (@ChrisZheng001) August 29, 2022
Google News