Batmobile Style: It's a 2021 Tesla S Yoke Steering Wheel That May Be Illegal

Tesla decided to modify the steering wheel of the refreshed Model S and added a Yoke steering wheel, or cropped steering wheel, which caused a stir on social media due to its unusual design.

Tesla always seems to find a way to make a big splash with minimal effort and thus constantly stay on trend. Recently, the firm had announced the release of the updated Model S and Model X, but the firm added one more detail that no one expected: a "Yoke" steering wheel inside the .

Fans of the brand have gone berserk online talking about the cut off wheel and wondering if it's good, bad, or even legal because neither NHTSA knows if it's legal or not.

Steering wheel, similar to the steering wheel of the Batmobile, but in real life.

What should have been the focus of the Tesla Model S updates was that it could be the fastest production car ever. Instead, everyone is concentrating on the cropped steering wheel.

Tesla literally reinvented this part, at least it seems so, although it also seems that this wheel was taken from science fiction, as it reminds us of the wheel of the famous Batmobile.

It should also be noted that sometimes custom show cars have appeared with a cropped steering wheel, but so far not a single production car has been produced with a cropped steering wheel.

Airplanes have this type of steering wheel, but the dynamics of flying and driving are very different. It's also fair to remember that Chrysler had square handlebars in the late 1950s and 1960s, which was new at the time, but it didn't seem too far from a round handlebar when used. This type of rudder was conspicuous and at times seemed a little quirky, but in use it was not much different from round rudders. Currently, such a square steering wheel can be seen on a supercar.

What problems can a cut flywheel cause?

We may not see a problem with the naked eye, but what if you instinctively grab the top half of the steering wheel and it turns out it's not there? Your mind is waiting for something that has been there since driving school and now it's gone.

Given these concerns, the NHTSA stated that “At this time, the NHTSA is unable to determine whether a steering wheel meets federal vehicle safety standards. We will contact the automaker for more information."

Typically, these types of manufacturing variances require some sort of permit. Headlight and bumper replacements have been mandated by the federal government and companies must meet certain deadlines. But it's the other way around. Tesla is proposing this change, although it's possible Tesla should have cleared it with the feds first.

The direction of the cars has changed over the years

Most cars today require minimal steering effort to make tight turns. The direction has changed drastically over the years and the public hasn't really noticed the difference. Electronic steering eliminated the mechanical connection to the front wheels. It's a big deal, but it looks so much like what we drove that no one notices.

Because of this less effort for more steering feedback, we expect the yoke steering wheel to take little time to get used to. In practice, there is no need to reach over the handlebars to get a good start in an oncoming turn.

Old cars, especially manual ones, are different. Sometimes you need some extra leverage, which you get if you reach up to the top of the flywheel and pull on it. But that's in the past.

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