After seeing the new Mercedes steering wheel, I’m curious what’s it actually like to live with a yoke? (Tesla / Lexus RZ owners)
Posted by single-overheadcam@reddit | Autos | View on Reddit | 190 comments
Naklu@reddit
H. Vj
Aymanhawk23@reddit
As someone who got a tesla yoke because I thought it looked cool, outside of being a lot more comfortable for the hand on steering wheel detection when using Autopilot, it is just a worse experience all around, driving one handed for example maneuvering in a parking lot is impossible/dangerous. I really miss cruising and having my hand at the 12 o clock position.
single-overheadcam@reddit (OP)
I haven't drove a Yoke, but I can definitely see want you mean.
WildDogOne@reddit
I race with a yoke, I drive with a normal or at least a D wheel.
no idea why everyone has to copy that crap from tesla. Happy that China banned them on street vehicles
single-overheadcam@reddit (OP)
It's just a stupid trend. Conventional steering wheels are more flexible and convenient.
TheCanadianShield99@reddit
Idiotic.
GreatWolf_NC@reddit
This just makes me want to hold onto my 2011 Audi A6 even more...
single-overheadcam@reddit (OP)
And when you see where Audi's heading, I'm sure it will make you want to hold onto it more.
GreatWolf_NC@reddit
I do not even want to, I do see their new stuff, but from the outside, thank the gods.
sketchahedron@reddit
It seems like a solution in search of a problem.
Virtblue@reddit
The problem was airplanes, where you have lots more degrees of freedom and need to make sure you know you rotational position at all times.
Arguably very low steering ratio race cars also, but that was more for packaging so you could get the driver lower and still give them enough leverage moment.
Billyjamesjeff@reddit
Also you can't palm hit one handed while smashing a burger and coffee.
i-dontlikeyou@reddit
For those are very valid points. I just don’t see it practical for daily regular driving
Virtblue@reddit
Oh they aren't.
Grooveman07@reddit
If the angle of movement is 90 degrees either way, it's actually wonderful
wyvernpiss@reddit
Since they are steer-by-wire I suppose they could tune them however to make 90 degrees usable; but you def don't want that on a standard rack. Every minor correction turns into a lane change lol. It'd be like a go-kart but in a bad way.
Grooveman07@reddit
It can be adaptive based on speed since they are steer by wire
Asron87@reddit
In these cars (not race cars or airplanes), does the steering wheel rotate more than one full rotation? I don’t know how to ask what I’m trying to ask lol
My old van has a suicide knob because the steering wheel turns enough that using one is actually helpful. In newer vehicles do the steering wheels turn so little that this steering wheel is a practical design?
wyvernpiss@reddit
Standard steering wheel is 900 degree lock-to-lock. Occasionally 720 or 1080. I think the lexus yokes are only around 200deg rotation but its progressive steer-by-wire, the first ~90degrees turns the wheels way less than the next 90. Whereas an F1 car is ~360 deg but they'll only go past 100ish on a couple hairpins the whole year
Asron87@reddit
That answers my question perfectly. Thank you. I wasn’t sure how to ask the question lol
The_Crazy_Swede@reddit
The steering in the Lexus is also speed dependent. The faster you drive, the less you steer.
SailResponsible397@reddit
I feel like this yoke in a road car idea got more popular when manufacturers started experimenting with drive by wire. In a regular car you need to have a balance of high speed stability and low speed manoeuvrability so steering wheel needs to make several turns and the driver needs to be able to hold the wheel at any angle. In a drive by wire system steering ratio is regulated by a computer so the turning rate at a certain steering wheel angle can be different at different speeds. I think Tesla's plaid used a yoke with the conventional steering system and everybody said it was annoying. Latest cars use it with drive by wire and though I feel you can get used to pretty quickly I still think DBW in road cars is stupid and dangerous.
flynnfx@reddit
Says YOU.
I see this as, 'Challenge Accepted'.
mehatliving@reddit
The airplane part is bull. I don’t even understand the point you’re trying to make.
You do not look at your yoke at all to fly a plane. Attitude indicator is what informs the pilot of pitch and roll and as you bank you need less aileron from the yoke side to side and more elevator to hold your attitude. As well as once you’re in a bank it’s only slight adjustments as most planes will hold the bank.
Most cars have steering wheel rotation of 900 degrees compared to 180 in a plane. Trucks can have even more rotation in the wheel.
Source - pilot and professional driver.
Virtblue@reddit
The point is a yoke lets you know the orientation of the device without looking as it's not a circle.
nochinzilch@reddit
No it doesn’t. The plane does what it wants, the yoke is just a suggestion. Also, you could be flying at any angle with the yoke pointed forward.
Virtblue@reddit
I'm not talking about the relation of the plane I'm talking if you close your eyes and hold a fucking yoke you know what direction it is oriented in, because it's not a fucking circle. I don't think you really have a strong concept of functional design don't worry you can think on it a bit.
nochinzilch@reddit
In what driving scenario would you need to know where your wheels are pointed with your eyes closed?
Virtblue@reddit
It's like you keep picking the wrong shinny thing to fixate on because you can get angry about it.
nochinzilch@reddit
You are the one being consistently wrong about … all of this.
stoned-autistic-dude@reddit
Nah, the dude is right. You're mad about nothing.
xNOOPSx@reddit
I'd also add visibility and in a full racecar cutting down unnecessary weight.
stoned-autistic-dude@reddit
Steering wheels are already incredibly light. Sure, chasing grams is a thing but the yokes are already carbon fiber. The biggest benefit of the yoke is accessing dials and knobs on the wheel is much easier. It has less to do with weight than it does ergonomics. You can have dials directly next to the thumb and it allows hitting buttons more easily. With a quick ratio rack (some of the racks are basically one turn lock-to-lock), there doesn't need to be a top of the steering wheel to turn the wheels from full lock left to full lock right.
theamericaninfrance@reddit
Brilliant analysis Kolwalski 🫡
stoned-autistic-dude@reddit
The Gulfstream G7 has a sidestick, too. Makes disassembling the cabin much easier without the yoke getting in the way.
turb0_encapsulator@reddit
the problem is the visibility of the giant screen on your dash. Lucid solved this with their squished squircle wheel.
wait_whats_this@reddit
Interestingly, I've never had this issue until manufacturers decided that I didn't need dials anymore.
turb0_encapsulator@reddit
FWIW I actually really like the dash setup in my Polestar 2 that puts a screen behind the wheel that can display Google Maps, which is what I have it on 99% of the time. I don't need a giant screen spanning the full width of the dash, but having maps front and center is actually fantastic.
example https://www.reddit.com/r/Polestar/comments/1ehrzya/p2_eta_and_distance_available_in_drivers_dash/
Ninthja@reddit
It's awesome to me, because it forces those weirdos who don't know how to properly grip the steering wheel to hold it the right way.
Superb-Wonder-1896@reddit
the car had been pretty much perfected. you can extend its range, install better batteries but the things like the steering wheel, door handles have been perfected a long time ago. corpos are now changing them for worse, breaking them on purpose because they know that the consumer will not buy the same car every few years.
wait_whats_this@reddit
Like much of what Mercedes does these days.
Such a shame for a company that made so many iconic machines.
ragingduck@reddit
Actually, it keeps your hands in the optimal driving position, 9 and 3. You can still do hand over hand for tighter turns.
Admittedly, though, most people don’t drive this way, and even though holding the wheel wrong could lead to injury in an accident, we are just way too used to the convenience of a full circular wheel.
Fappy_as_a_Clam@reddit
Which is why people won't buy it.
If I cant gangster lean in my truck with my one hand at 12 and the other resting on the shifter of my automatic transmission, I ain't doing it.
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Iamjimmym@reddit
It seems like a problem that didn't need a solution.
gocrazy305@reddit
Worse, it’s a new problem requiring an old solution.
EveryRedditorSucks@reddit
Yoke steering wheels are genuinely stupid as fuck unless they are paired with a steer-by-wire system. I have no idea if that is the plan for this design from Mercedes - but if it isn’t then this change would be unforgivable.
DoctorHanz@reddit
Damn near everything now is steer-by-wire
c172fccc@reddit
It is paired with a steer-by-wire system, yes.
zespak@reddit
It's the main reason (that and the idiotic indicators) I've never gotten a Model S Plaid. Especially here in Europe, it doesn't work at all.
Flipslips@reddit
They got rid of the yoke standard for the model s years ago
zespak@reddit
I test drove one about 3 years ago, back then it was the only option.
Bonjourdog@reddit
The practical use of those is in cars like Formula cars, LMP2, 3, Prototype racers, some GT Cars, your legs will not fit with a round steering wheel and the top of the wheel blocks some vision over the dash due to how low and laid back you sit. The yoke wheel works well For this setup. you usually are not turning the wheel more than 90 degrees in normal Operation. It's a tight squeeze Getting in and out of the car usually requires removal of the wheel via quick release even for a small guy like me.
The plaid dosent really have this problem so I think it's kind Of a gimmick. It works ok, it's not a huge hindrance imo, the amg one is a tighter squeeze and I find the yoke better suited to that car.
PopSwayzee@reddit
As someone who who likes to drive one handed, I’m going to avoid any car with a steering wheel like this. Then again I’m poor so I probably don’t have to worry about affording such a car 🙃
joeislandstranded@reddit
Following! I’m curious, too.
I can imagine a few drawbacks, but zero advantages. Hoping to learn more!
element515@reddit
Easier to get in and out because you have more clearance and full easy view of your instrument cluster. As long as it's a variable ratio, I think i'd probably prefer it... I used to change out to a round wheel on my sim rig, but the GT style wheel is just comfy and I like it. Don't bang my knees getting out of the rig either.
josherman61791@reddit
One of the arguable advantages is more visibility on the instrument cluster. I've never tried a yoke though.
GrynaiTaip@reddit
Peugeot e-308 has a small steering wheel and it's mounted down low, below the instrument cluster. You see your speed above the steering wheel, not through it.
I quite like that setup.
rzaapie@reddit
Are you tall? I had a 208(2019 or 2020 model) for a bit. If the steering wheel was low enough to see the cluster, my legs had 0 chance of fitting in the car.
GrynaiTaip@reddit
I'm about average, 185cm.
MyCodesCompiling@reddit
That's taller than average lol
GrynaiTaip@reddit
Average for younger people in my part of Europe.
Shad0wM0535@reddit
I think that is really the only selling point outside of quirky style as everything else appears to be a negative.
wild182@reddit
If you like to drive in a straight line I’m sure it’s fine
400Volts@reddit
Yokes do not work in commuter cars because in order to work as intended, you need a steering ratio so low that it would either be so heavy that it's undrivable or so twitchy it would be uncontrollable at speed for the average driver
Flipslips@reddit
That’s why steer by wire is implemented for most yokes. The way the cybertruck yoke works is turning the steering wheel at low speeds gives you more wheel turn. High speeds it barely turns the wheels (like merging on the highway)
captstinkybutt@reddit
No sir, I do not like it. Hand over hand is maddening on a yoke. Can't rest my hand on top or on bottom. I hate everything about it.
Flipslips@reddit
You don’t go hand over hand with these. A 90 degree turn is full wheel lock
IncarceratedScarface@reddit
Going hand over hand with one is stupid. Wheel all the way.
Flipslips@reddit
You don’t go hand over hand with these. A 90 degree turn is full wheel lock
TheTimeIsChow@reddit
I've been loaned a Model X Plaid with one... and it was a miserable day of driving.
Yokes only makes sense in vehicles with a low/quick steering ratio. Not sure about the others, but Tesla just slaps a yoke over their standard rack steering ratio.
Going hand over hand with a yoke is just stupid. I hated every minute with it.
The only thing that didn't bother me as much as I expected was the haptic steering wheel buttons for the blinkers. Everything else about the wheel was 100x worse than I thought it was going to be.
My understanding is that Mercedes uses steer by wire to adjust for this? If so, I guess it's a better method.
IDK, maybe I'm being a bit negative. But these things aren't F1 cars. I don't really see the point.
single-overheadcam@reddit (OP)
Exactly, I think they don't serve any purpose or solve any problems. That's why Tesla brought back the traditional steering wheel after only offering the yoke for a while.
Flipslips@reddit
They still offer the yoke
UnturntUnicorn@reddit
The Lexus approach (and I’m assuming what the Mercedes approach is going to be) is to have a progressive steering ratio depending on speed. So at low speeds, you get the full steering angle from one turn of the wheel without having to go hand over hand. At high speeds, the steering ratio changes so you can’t flip the car with a little twitch on the highways. Tesla kept the normal steering ratio as if there was a regular wheel and just stuck a new stupid wheel on it with a capacitive touch horn.
Latespoon@reddit
That kinda sounds like hell. I like knowing that turning ny wheel this much turns my wheels that much. If I'm driving fast and steering ratio is constantly changing it's gonna be a lot harder to be precise in corners.
SoonAfterThen@reddit
It’s definitely something you’d get a feel for and adjust to. You’re not typically yanking the steering wheel in any particular direction at high speeds (say over 50+ MPH).
Shua89@reddit
Sounds like a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.
SoonAfterThen@reddit
It’s safer at high speeds. You might be right, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a useful technology.
Shua89@reddit
Don't know about where you live but in my country they keep slowing speed limits down everywhere. Then put speed cameras hidden behind each tree.
Lambor14@reddit
Tight corners, u turns, parking is where these systems excel. Highway driving is not really revolutionary in steer by wire.
ps, what a based government you have! vision zero ftw
lekke_koppaking@reddit
Suprise. A lot of car makers already do this. BMW for example started that with the bmw E60. (Launch 2003) And that's considered a nice driving car.
So the tech is already old.
The only thing is that lexus and mercedes will do it probably electronically, drive by wire, instead of mechanical.
nochinzilch@reddit
You are confusing ratio with power assist.
Latespoon@reddit
They have 2 types, one is speed dependant and one isn't, and at least here, the speed based one is not popular on anything but their SUVs, same goes for audi, I've never come across either. Just reading online now that lots of people find it makes the car very unpredictable.
The other type is variable based on how far you turn the wheel which is fine, you can learn it just like a fixed ratio, because the car will always turn with the same amount of force if you rotate the wheel to a certain position.
Comrade_Bender@reddit
Hilariously these stupid things actually fail state safety inspections where I live. It probably isn't getting enforced because this is how the car was engineered, but the book says the wheel is supposed to be a full circle within a given range of diameters
blergmonkeys@reddit
Once you get used to it, it’s not a big deal. You spent one day with it.
Bonzai_Tree@reddit
Yeah; the idea of a yoke in any car seems a little silly, but why the hell would you put it in something that isn't a sports car with a fast steering rack.
That is the ONLY application I could see it working in, because the intended application involves very little hand-over-hand outside of parking lots. Slapping it in a luxury car/daily driver just makes zero sense.
hewer006@reddit
it looks like utter shit and can imagine how shit it would be to handle it
Ok_Two_2604@reddit
I have a yoke on an Atom and on a track car bc both have fixed seat height and the top would block the dash. I love it, but the atom has pretty tight turning ratio and the track car has that plus is never used in parking lots. My dad has a yoke on his S. I like it (the shape, not the stupid way they did the controls on it) bc I’m used to it. The only time you have to take hands off the grips is for parking lots, and I am used to it so I just put my hand over the top and spin it. It’s like 2 mph at most. If you can t handle that then you might want to have your hands checked for an issue with them. Just takes time to get used to it. But again, you are going under 2 mph. Just be careful until you get the hang of it.
Now, does it have any benefit for a normal car? No. Flat bottom is nice for getting in and out, unless you have the wheel spun bc it’s a hill, but the top open shouldn’t block anything if your seat is set right. So it’s just to be different and make people talk about it in a normal car.
Newexperiance@reddit
As someone whose driven a KITT replica, not fun.
Leek5@reddit
China just ban yoke steering wheels saying it was unsafe
https://www.motor1.com/news/787281/china-banning-yoke-steering-wheel/
GreatWhiteLuchador@reddit
Yea but china sucks so who cares
WTF-UK@reddit
Going to be safer car laws in China than the US at this rate … going back to your orange loving monkey
banshithread@reddit
China has 10x as many yearly fatalities per 100k vehicles than the USA.
GreatWhiteLuchador@reddit
I’m not exactly sure what you’re talking about or if you’re using slang or something but I’ll take whatever we have here over china any day of the week. “safer car laws” or not live in a communist dictatorship? Ill take the USA all day no matter who is president, and i bet you would too in real life
Turbomichel@reddit
Idk, in my book they suck less than what the U.S is becoming due to the orange turd.
banshithread@reddit
Persecuted people for practicing Buddhism and imprisoned them if they say they follow the Dalai Lama and support the originally chosen Panchen Lama instead of China's 'golden stick'-selected dude.
Not being allowed to have more than one child for the longest time, forcing parents to choose. The amount of female infant corpses you see floating in the river.
Sealing people inside buildings during COVID while the building was on fire, forcing them to be burnt alive.
Uyghur concentration camps. Banning their names because it's too ethnic. Forcing them to denounce their religion or get tortured and have their children removed if they don't. Sent to camps for "thought rectification" which is straight up torturing them until they claim they don't worship anymore. Girls not being able to wear underwear and having their head shaved. The children that are locked up in state custody from parents being detained are often just killed. Not even sent back to "their own country".
Slave industry is huge.
Dog meat festivals. Animal abuse even more rampant than in the USA. Monkey and cat torture commoditized.
Not being able to go to an entire country (Tibet one of them) without having a state-approved guide. Because they want to control the narrative much like North Korea.
Choosing to have entire villages wiped out by flood waters that could have been prevented by updating the infrastructure but they refuse to, and going against the Mandate of Heaven.
Blocking internet access to much of non-Chinese sites. Prosecuted if you try to provide VPNs.
Black jails.
But yeah China sucks less than what the US is becoming. No, it takes what the USA is becoming and has already made it 3x worse. To say otherwise is one fueled by Chinese propaganda.
GreatWhiteLuchador@reddit
You’re insane.
strangway@reddit
Looks like someone grew up watching Knight Rider and wanted to feel like Michael Knight.
Comfortable-Shoe9543@reddit
Had to scroll too far for a KITT steering wheel reference
7ECA@reddit
I would think that S-class buyers, typically older, would be the last people to want a yoke. Wonder if Mercedes bothered to ask
fishscaleSF5@reddit
Literally trying to reinvent the wheel.
nandrizzle@reddit
I’ll stick with a “circle” steering wheel thanks. I’m from the late 1900s and I was trained to do hand over hand to turn the wheel. Even in emergencies I have confidence i can maneuver better with a regular wheel.
Accomplished_Emu_198@reddit
Great something else to tempt loaded idiots to drive even crazier
gggggghhhhhgg@reddit
I have one and it suuuckkks. There is zero reason to have a yoke. It makes driving harder. I would replace it if a steering wheel was made available for my model.
single-overheadcam@reddit (OP)
What do you drive?
gggggghhhhhgg@reddit
Tesla S plaid. Mostly love it. But the yoke adds nothing positive.
single-overheadcam@reddit (OP)
I'm curious to see what improvements has Mercedes brought to the system with its steer by wire. I'm so curious to see if there's any safety improvements and whether it makes the avoidance of obstacles and other cars easier for that.
archonpericles@reddit
Regardless of steering accuracy, you are limited to one position for your hands. No thanks.
single-overheadcam@reddit (OP)
Especially if you’re a “12 o’clock” driver
Flippie132@reddit
Even in aircraft the yoke is an inferior option. Why add it to a car?
EdelWhite@reddit
It looks absolutely stupid and I don't understand what's wrong with a normal steering wheel.
Biyeuy@reddit
I have been observing the world of technical goods for decades and learned that numerous innovations come and happen to go at couple of years later point of time. One of examples 3D TV devices. Same may happen with cars' smartphone-style cockpits or steering wheels you mean.
D-Fence@reddit
https://carnewschina.com/2026/02/13/china-to-ban-half-steering-wheels-in-new-safety-standard/
It’s even funnier they released it after China specifically banned this nonsense.
Silluetes@reddit
What next? Sidestick? BTW aren't this type of steering are banned in China?
Mylifereboot@reddit
I own a Model X with a yoke. It was purchased used, so essentially standard.
Its ok but I wouldn't bother with one again. My drive is nearly all highway and autopilot is almost always on so I am barely touching the wheel. Hand over hand turning can be a bit awkward.
B4DM4N12Z@reddit
I think Lexus does is better than Tesla, with the 90° degree steering thing.
Gavram@reddit
I liked it...it really opens up the view of the dash. They definitely need an altered steering ratio.
A5Productions@reddit
It’s stupid, why do you want less steering wheel?
wrylex@reddit
Does anyone actually drive like the guy pictured? Driven a million miles and 995,000 of them have been one hand at the 11 o clock or 7 o clock position.
norf937@reddit
Our Model X Plaid has one, it took a bit to get used to but now I really like it. It’s not any better than a round wheel other than visibility but it’s a non issue.
SkirtPractical3718@reddit
It’s so ugly an uncomfortable
soundknight21@reddit
Ahh the three pointed swastika.
CommercialCook4427@reddit
Нахуя?
nstrasner@reddit
I don’t really understand these yokes with normal street car steering wheel width. I’d be down to give it a shot if it wasn’t as wide like a race car wheel or something but these just seem so awkward. Anyone that’s driven one can you comfortably control it one handed? Like just gripping the left or right? I often drive gripping the wheel like that with my stick shift
Legitimate-Lab9077@reddit
If you have a Tesla it’s a nightmare cause they didn’t bother to do it right. If you have a Toyota/lexus it takes a day or two to get used to and it becomes seamless and you don’t notice it
milkit18@reddit
It sucks.
blergmonkeys@reddit
I have a yoke model s. I also have a model y with a round wheel. I switch between the cars depending on need. There’s not really a difference once you get used to the yoke.
Fappy_as_a_Clam@reddit
Absolutely not.
A yoke like that would keep me from buying a car.
jasonsong86@reddit
If it has steer by wire it’s not that big of a problem since you will never need to take your hands off the steering wheel to turn more than 90 degrees in both direction.
Hungry-4-Chicken@reddit
I could never deal with this. I'd get so annoyed
Abraxusmax@reddit
Sooooo…do you pull out to brake?
407juan@reddit
Ive driven plenty of yoke teslas, its horrible.
far_beyond_driven_@reddit
In my racing sim, I have a GT wheel which is this shape. It makes a lot of sense for 540 degrees of wheel rotation. For 900-1080 (or more) degrees, like you find in a regular car, it’s fucking stupid and a good way to bust your knuckles.
No_Kitchen7950@reddit
Designed for flat earthers
chess_the_cat@reddit
All I see is a wheel that was flattened at the top and bottom.
Iuslez@reddit
It offers much better grip, especially once you are past 90°. Your hand and your thumb can kinda rotate, and you can push from below with the palm of your hand.
Ofc that is only relevant for cars where you need very tight grip and very fast movement... Which is pretty much the opposite of what you want in a road car.
single-overheadcam@reddit (OP)
In addition to what you have said, it's a steer by wire. Lock to lock takes less than one turn while the traditional steering wheel takes two turns.
insomniaczombiex@reddit
That would fuck me up so bad considering it makes turning so much quicker.
Princ3Ch4rming@reddit
The ratio on these steer-by-wire systems adjusts according to vehicle and steering speed. If you’re travelling quickly or steering gently, the amount the wheels turn is smaller than if you were travelling slowly/steering quickly.
According to most sources, people get used to it pretty quickly.
Simoxs7@reddit
Yeah I still don’t like having no mechanical redundancy, and please don’t say airplanes use steer by wire for a long time, for one they are usually not flying past trees with less than 1 meter distance where a disconnect for 1/28th of a second means you crash. And they are usually forced by law to be maintained well while cars aren’t.
Sorry but I prefer having a mechanical connection still, your opinion may differ as long as you don’t crash into my car because your steering wheel disconnected.
insomniaczombiex@reddit
Oh good. That makes me feel better.
Throwaway_2474128_1@reddit
so it's like the cybertruck
Vanillabean73@reddit
So, shitty?
userjack6880@reddit
See, the issue with the cybertruck isn’t any individual element that goes into it - there’s lots of impressive and sound engineering in each system and individual component. Being able to stamp stainless steel with finished surfaces (as in, no corrections for the surface) is impressive. Megacastings are difficult. 48v automotive wiring will save weight and copper as vehicles get more complicated and need more signal wires.
The issue is the package as a whole and the application of some the technologies to produce a low-poly truck that looks like a dumpster. It’s like the impressive engineering that goes into those pointless mega towers in the Middle East.
Steer-by-wire is an interesting technology that’s been applied elsewhere and gives engineers flexibility, some weight advantage, etc.
BeanDemon@reddit
This technology has been around far longer than the Cybertruck has.
Snoo_67548@reddit
Way to leave us new Expedition owners out! Lol! It feels weird for a bit, but you get used to it. The flat sides give you a little stronger grip on curvy roads.
Maximum_Guard5610@reddit
I did a test drive of a Lexus RZ, while steer by wire is cool, and it's not honestly bad to drive with a Yoke.. it just makes no sense. It doesn't look futuristic, you sometimes find yourself looking for the upper part of the steering wheel (at least I did) and it's just... pointless
lewi13@reddit
The new Subaru solterra uses one. I like it more than I thought.
Wildwill6969@reddit
As someone who has 11 years valet experience I've never encountered anything worse
Buckleup19966@reddit
A yoke to me only makes sense if your steering is 1:1 or 1 complete turn from lock to lock. You get such a small degree of rotation so you need to take care.
Ainolukos@reddit
Yokes really only work in race cars or if the turning radius is adjust to a 360-480 ratio like a race car.
Having the typical 540 turning ratio of a road vehicle results in fumbling with an awkward shape to fully turn the wheels at slow speeds.
AlaskanAsAnAdjective@reddit
It’s great for pitch control. Pulling up or pitching down is pretty hard with a normal steering wheel. Plus, you always know if you’re set for level flight.
BuckManscape@reddit
Terrible. It’s fine for high performance, but for cruising it’s very uncomfortable.
stulogic@reddit
I had the yoke on a Model S Plaid. It was ok at best but it offered no advantage and several downsides. I strongly disliked the bizarre steering on that car in general, perhaps if it was better it would have shown merit over a round wheel, if I’m being charitable.
I’ve yet to have a car where I feel like anything is more optimal than a conventional uniformly round wheel would have been, but on the other hand I’ve never had any variation that was really a problem. Yokes I would put firmly at the bottom of the list of forms I would like to revisit though.
In most cases where the wheel is altered from round, it seems to be an accommodation to make more room for legs, display / binnacle visibility, or both.
On appliance grade daily cars where I’m doing no ‘spirited’ driving, it doesn’t matter to me at all. My daily has a weird squared wheel and though I’m only a few days in to ownership I rather like driving it.
AmbitionLow5881@reddit
Drifting would be next level with that
FindingUsernamesSuck@reddit
I rented a yoked Model X once, on a trip. I was curious about the novelty of the whole car.
There were times when I would attempt a hand-over-hand turn, just for the second hand to grab air instead rim. I learned to live it, but I don't think it's better than the regular steering wheel.
It didn't have steer-by-wire with adjustable ratio, which might affect the yoked experience. Maybe I'm old school, but I think that would just further the disorienting experience for me.
I did note it required me to have a controlled grip at all times. You can't let it spin in your hands like a rim, which may be a benefit in some contexts.
TL:DR; Livable but a step back IMO. Coming home to my Subaru BRZ was a lovely palate cleanser.
MaliciousMe87@reddit
The only, the ONLY reason I can think this should be a thing outside of the good criticisms in the rest of the comments... It forces people to use the wheel in a safer way. When I drive my one hand is just barely holding it in place, top or bottom. This would increase my safety while being super annoying.
anders91@reddit
Yokes make sense for track racing and basically nothing else.
I’m happy to be corrected but it’s really hard for me to think of a situation where a yoke is better for a regular car used for personal transport.
Bonzai_Tree@reddit
I agree. Even for track racing, circular or flat bottomed wheels are fine or even preferred in 99% of cases.
Makes zero sense in a road car.
HuskyPurpleDinosaur@reddit
What is this, a sick yoke?
elf25@reddit
Designer said, “Hey, this looks really cool!”
GZEUS9@reddit
Test drove (just to try it, not buying atm) an RZ... gotta say, i hated it. It feels unnatural, especially in parking lots where you go hand-over-hand to turn in tight area's, hunting for the steering wheel thats no longer available. Its feels like a solution to a problem that never existed, and is awkward to use in real world driving situations, for no accountable reason, other than to look different.
Minirig355@reddit
Drive a Model S with a yoke steering frequently, I’m not a fan. I wouldn’t say I “hate” it, but even after years I still find sharp turns requiring shifting my hands to be uncomfortable and being unable to use my knee to stabilize briefly at low speeds when I need to adjust something is equally annoying.
It’s not a hate, but it’s a heavy preference against it. My own car has a full wheel and it’s much better.
pearlsweatervest@reddit
If it’s not driving with knees certified I don’t need it. I have a nafety for safety!
worstatit@reddit
I'd always be pulling on it to go up hills.
ElixirGlow@reddit
It's trash, and if you suddenly need to grab the wheel it could get dangerous because it's not a round grab anywhere wheel. Its definately more engaging but requires more attention to hold and and keep your hands in the right place at all times. One lapse in attention and you won't even know where the wheel is
pearlsweatervest@reddit
I thought the right place was 10 and 2 first of all
YJeezy@reddit
I see all this technology and stupid shit and it just makes me love my basic mechanical car so much more. I hate driving smartphone cars whose main features aren't even driving related anymore. I can pull a door handles and close doors just fine as well.
-Carmudgeon
Simoxs7@reddit
Yup agree, and I don’t hate this technology because I hate technology in general its just that these shitty features are forced on us inevitably. Because car manufacturers apparently can’t make basic cars for normal people.
pearlsweatervest@reddit
Nope normal people do not equate to the big baller trend spenders that want to tell all their friends they can reverse their car with a knob and they have a flat screen TV as a dash board fun distractions!
semifunctionaladdict@reddit
It might be good if you are going 512/kmh like the individual in the photo but I would hate to do slow turns with it, spinning the wheel is the best part. Wouldn't you get smacked with it too when it corrects itself lol
thingamajig1987@reddit
With wheels like this you don't spin it, it changes how much the wheel turns based on your speed so you usually never go beyond 90 degrees either way
semifunctionaladdict@reddit
Oh wow thats kinda cool, technology is weird
pearlsweatervest@reddit
1) how does it perform when attempting donuts
2) I can see this causing a lot of issues when trying to merge on the 110 freeway
Reddit-or-di@reddit
Yoke is not good for daily around the town and parking lots driving. On track, that’s another story
naturallyfatale@reddit
Model S owner with 30k miles. I don’t like it, it slips from my hands often in parking lots
moviemaker10@reddit
As a cybertruck owner, I love it. That being said, if I had a model s or any other car that is NOT steer by wire and with variable steering ratios, that would be MISERABLE. however in the case of my truck it makes handling a breeze, and makes the entire truck feel worlds lighter and nimble than it actually is.
And the rear wheel steering does play a factor to that as well of course. But I work at a GMC dealer as a finance director, and the other week I was helping a coworker move some vehicles and good lord. Having to turn the ugly round wheel several times to do a right turn (that was so ungodly wide compared to my truck’s turning radius) and spin it the other way a million times to straighten up.. I felt incredibly spoiled and slightly babied by how easy my truck is to operate
Simoxs7@reddit
Yeah sorry I prefer a circle for steering a vehicle
pastafariantimatter@reddit
I had a Turo rental Plaid with a yoke for a couple of weeks and the one thing I really noticed is that you can no longer steer with your knee. Not that it's something I do super often, but sometimes in traffic, drive thrus, etc I use my leg to stabilize the steering wheel while reaching for my wallet or whatever. One of many reasons it's a stupid idea.
SynthPixels@reddit
This isn’t an April fools day joke?
boturboegt@reddit
I drove a Model X with a yoke for a couple weeks. It was a terrible experience. Not only was the wheel uncomfortable, but since the steering rack was normal it didn't work in parking lots or in lower speed turns.
That same trip I also drove a cybertruck and the wheel in that was much better, but in that car the speed adjusted steering is strange on roads at low speeds (like 25mph and under). It worked great in parking lots and on the highway.
Heidenreich12@reddit
Had a loaner cybertruck and agree, the steer by wire with a yolk is fantastic
Chunks1992@reddit
Dumb on anything not an airplane
Egoist-a@reddit
"you get used to it"
Or in other words, it's shit but I live with it.
blonktime@reddit
I don't like yokes for street cars. It feels like a "solution" to a problem that doesn't exist.
When Tesla released theirs, they argued "it keeps your hands at the optimal driving positions", which is great for racing, but you don't NEED your hands at 3 & 9 when you're cruising down the highway. "It gives you an unobstructed view of the dashboard", again not really a big issue in my eyes. I don't need to keep my eyes glued to the speedo when I'm driving. Sure I check my speed every so often, but the wheel "being in the way" is not an issue for me.
When I'm just driving around, I like to rest my hand at 12. When I'm driving around town, I usually just steer with one hand, which I feel like would be awkward if my hands only had positions on the sides (might not, but I like my options with a round wheel).
Now if I'm in a legit race car, on a track, a yoke is great. My hands are going to be there anyway, less obstructions to the dash, etc.
Blinklicht@reddit
I’ve had a Tesla Model S with a yoke for 5 years now and it’s a total nonevent. My 73 yr old father had no problem adjusting to it on his first drive. It’s actually pretty underwhelming, I was expecting it to be crazy and feel like a fighter jet but it’s all very normal. The only plus to speak of is that it doesn’t block part of the gauges like a round wheel
Der_Prager@reddit
Why Mercedes, why?
nickybuddy@reddit
Definitely looks like a yoke (soft j) to me
TheSticc@reddit
I’ve heard that you get used to it, but I would rather not have less to grab at in an emergency