To yoke or not to yoke is apparently not a question for the Tesla Model S’ future - it is a fact. In a reply to a tweet regarding the possibility of getting a refreshed Model S without the yoke, Elon Musk simply said ‘No.’ The question this was asked under a tweet originally posted by Marques Brownlee, who published a video yesterday about the yoke in his brand new Model S Plaid.

He unsurprisingly loves the Plaid, praising all the modifications Tesla has made to it - there is clear progress in all areas (check out our coverage of his video). All but one: the yoke. He describes it as ‘ half a steering wheel ‘ and just ‘ bad ‘ but he doesn’t really have a problem with the unusual squared off shape with the top part missing.

Marques’ main gripe is with all the controls that are now touch sensitive and, in his view, hard to adjust to. Sure, it looks really cool and futuristic, you have a better view of the driver’s display and you are forced to keep your hands in the correct place while driving, but aside from this, he begins listing a whole series of disadvantages brought about by this setup.

 

His is one of many negative impressions of the yoke, yet even with pressure put on it by many top tier automotive and tech influencers, Tesla (and its CEO) seem committed to the yoke.  This in spite of the fact that Elon Musk replied to and acknowledged many reviewers’ less than favorable impressions of it - the company is aware, yet it’s unwilling to budge, it seems.

Furthermore, you may remember we posted an article about a photo that we were not supposed to see hidden on Tesla’s official website. The image has since been removed, but it clearly showed the updated Model S interior with a conventional circular wheel, suggesting that the manufacturer had, at some point, considered at least offering it as an option or offering it on non-Plaid versions.

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