happy intruder
Well-known member
- First Name
- O. K.
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2020
- Threads
- 8
- Messages
- 1,136
- Reaction score
- 911
- Location
- Irvine
- Vehicles
- Model 3 Jun 2019..... Model S Jan 2020
- Occupation
- Retired
my model s has a terrible throw on the steering wheel adjustment....it does not come out far enough....up and down are ok, but I need it to come out furtherBefore we bought our first Model 3 I was a little concerned about the lack of an instrument cluster. But after spending the first day in it I realized that not only was having the instrument cluster on the center screen not a problem, it was actually preferable. I discovered the dumbest place for critical information is behind the steering wheel. Because now I could adjust the height of the steering wheel to where it was most comfortable for long drives instead of to the only position that gave me a clear view of the instruments. It was actually a revelation!
The center screen is always visible and is even closer to my view of the road than a traditional instrument cluster buried behind the steering wheel because the center screen rises above dash-level. I know intuitively this might not seem to make sense because people tend to believe the way they have done things for many years is always the best way. But trust me when I say it ain't so. I didn't even realize that whenever I got in a different car and adjusted the steering wheel to my liking, I was actually adjusting it, not for comfort and optimum control, but to the only place that gave me a good view of the speedometer!
If Tesla wants to put non-critical info that I don't need to look at while the car is in motion behind the steering wheel, I'm fine with that. But I'll be very disappointed if they put the speedo, gear indicator or navigation info there.
Cars in the day of the Model T had huge skinny steering wheels that were non-adjustable and I imagine it made sense to put the instrument cluster on the dash in front of the driver because the steering wheel was too skinny and large to block them enough to matter. But in a modern car, safety, driver comfort and control has dictated smaller steering wheels with much thicker rims and centrally mounted driver airbags. The net result is they leave only small view windows and block the traditional instrument cluster whenever the wheel is turned. Also, the drivers arm can block the instruments depending on where they grip the wheel.
I know it seems like it would be sub-optimal to look just to the right of the steering wheel to see the indicated speed but, trust me, not only is not a problem, it's an even better location.
This is not an example of Tesla doing something to be different but because it makes more sense. I actually have to look less downward, away from the road, to see my speed than if it were behind the wheel because Tesla puts the speed in the upper-left corner of the center display and the center display rises above the dash level. It's the ideal spot. This would not have been the case with the original Model S due to the center screen being set lower into the dash and in portrait orientation (instead of landscape).
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