If the launch of the facelifted 2021 Tesla Model S has taught us anything, it’s that reinventing the (steering) wheel isn’t a smart idea.
As standard, the new Tesla Model S comes fitted with a yoke that has triggered all manner of controversy since being unveiled at the start of the year. It is clumsy to use, looks daft, and in my opinion, provides absolutely no benefit to the driving experience.
This video recently shared to social media by Motor Trend editor Christian Seabaugh shows just how clumsy the yoke is when parking. Sure, it might be nice if you’re driving along a flowing mountain road that allows you to keep your hands at the 9 and 3 o’clock positions, but parking is a whole different story. Seabaugh had been driving a Model S Plaid for a few days when this video was filmed but still fumbled around and at times, reached for a part of the wheel that wasn’t there.
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It’s not just the yoke steering “wheel” that is an issue. The updated Model S also comes standard with another feature that absolutely no one asked for: no physical gear selector. Instead, Elon Musk proudly claimed during the car’s unveiling that it was so smart, the sensors and cameras could automatically determine if you want to park, drive forward, or reverse.
In theory, this means that if you’re backed into a parking space against a wall, the car will know you want to drive forward to get out and shift into Drive. However, if you’re doing something like a three-point turn, the system is completely useless, forcing Tesla to implement a gear selector in the touchscreen, something that’s clearly less practical than the column-mounted shifter that Tesla has used in the past.