The Japanese copied one of Tesla’s most risky ideas. The yoke steering wheel has not left a good taste in anyone’s mouth, but Toyota believes it has the solution and will offer it very soon. When buying a car, we take certain basic and common attributes for granted. Four wheels, seats, windows, and… a steering wheel. However, in recent years, manufacturers seem to have waged a war against tradition. Historically, steering wheels have been round not simply for reasons of sentimentality, but above all for obvious practical and safety results. The redesign of management is taking uncertain directions. The Yoke (Yugo) type steering wheels begin to emerge and, with them, the first doubts. Toyota has already announced when it will offer it in its electric range and it will be very soon.
If we look back, just a couple of years, we will remember the presentation of the Lexus RZ and Toyota bZ4X. The first global electric cars from the Japanese corporation gave a lot of talk among the community. First, because of their figures as battery-powered vehicles, somewhat discreet by the standards of then and today. But they were also the talk of the world for copying one of Tesla’s worst ideas, the Yugo-type steering wheel. We have tried it and we didn’t like it at all.
Japanese engineers have been perfecting their steering wheels for more than a year
The Americans have not been very successful with their proposal. Among many other reasons, the Tesla steering wheel offers the same gear ratio as a conventional round steering wheel, which is a serious drawback when performing low-speed maneuvers. It’s so inconvenient that a growing wave of dissatisfied customers forced the company to offer a traditional format as an alternative. The demand for Tesla’s yoke is so low that what used to come standard is now one of the most expensive options for the Model S and Model
The surprise was huge when Toyota/Lexus decided to replicate the idea in its first electric vehicles. However, in a moment of clarity, the Japanese made fundamental changes to their presentation. Although it still shows a format that is not recommended, the steering ratio limits the maximum angle of the steering wheel to 150 degrees with a variable sensitivity depending on speed. This means that the driver will only be able to move the steering wheel at that angle, which a priori seems to make such basic maneuvers as turning on a street or parking much easier. At higher rates, the response is less direct so as not to affect safety.
Despite having introduced it a couple of years ago, engineers have not been entirely satisfied with the behavior, until now. The system, called One Motion Grip, has been under the microscope this time and now, finally, it is ready to hit the market. The bZ4X and the RZ will be the first models to integrate it starting next year. It will be wireless, electronic steering, like that of most modern cars. Europe has created its homologation protocol for this type of system, eliminating the need for a mechanical link between the steering wheel and the steering, something that the RZ and bZ4X with a round steering wheel offer.