2021 Tesla Model S and X Refresh – What’s the Wheel Deal?
By Edward A. Sanchez – Jan. 27, 2021
Tesla and Elon Musk have never been shy to eschew convention and make bold steps to go where none – or few – have gone before. Cybertruck aside, probably the most notable example was when the Model 3 debuted with only a single center display – no instrument cluster, no dials, and almost no buttons. The auto world’s collective gasp was nearly audible.
On Jan. 27, 2021, the world got another unexpected surprise with the Model S and Model X refresh. The change from a vertical to horizontal center touchscreen wasn’t totally unexpected, nor was the 1,000+ hp “Plaid” tri-motor version. The biggest shock of the day by far, though, was the gamer-style “yoke” steering wheel, which dispenses with the conventional circular hoop steering wheel design for a half-wheel reminiscent of race cars or gaming consoles and controls.
Tesla’s new steering wheel design is certainly unconventional.
The first question on many people’s minds was if this design was legal for street use. The codified regulation that specifies basic functional requirements, known as the FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) is somewhat vague on the exact requirements for steering wheels, with Section 571.101 “Controls and Displays” only stipulating the location and function of the horn, and Section 571.204 outlining requirements that the rearward displacement of the steering column be no more than five inches in the event of a collision. Nowhere that I can find are there specific stipulations or requirements for the shape of the steering wheel.
Pure steer-by-wire, while technically possible and feasible, is another gray area. Nissan introduced steer-by-wire in the 2014 Infiniti Q50, but included a mechanical emergency backup in case of electronics failure. Mercedes was forced to do the same when it introduced its Sensotronic brake-by-wire system in 2001. The system proved to be complex and problematic. Mercedes went back to a more conventional hydraulic system in 2006 in the E-Class, and 2011 in the SL-Class. As part of a recall settlement with owners, Mercedes was required to offer U.S. owners a 25-year extended warranty on the system in 2018.
So far, we have no indication if the Model S or Model X refresh includes a new steering system. If the new wheel also included an upgrade to a truly steer-by-wire system where only small inputs would be required for lane changes or perpendicular or U-turns, then I wouldn’t be as opposed. But if it is still a conventional mechanical steering system, that means U or three-point turns would still require a fair amount of “sawing” the wheel. That being the case, I would say a hoop-style steering wheel (whether literally round, or as is the style these days, D shaped or squarish) would be preferable to the “yoke” style wheel of the new Teslas.
Maybe I’m just being a crochety old man and a creature of habit – perhaps once I experience it first-hand I’ll proclaim its virtues and dismiss hoop steering wheels as outdated and anachronistic. So perhaps I’ll reserve judgment until I start seeing some real-world reviews, or get a chance to drive a new Model S or Model X myself.
(Images courtesy Tesla)
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