Tesla’s redesigned S and X models came to attention when they were revealed last week because of the device used to transform them.
The upgraded vehicles have brand new interiors that feature a rectangular fork-shaped ‘steering wheel’ design.
Although it has been suggested, but not yet confirmed, that Tesla will offer a conventional round wheel as an option, the National Road Traffic Safety Administration has said it has not yet determined whether the yoke version meets federal safety standards before the first shipments. vehicles for customers at the end of February or March.
However, it received the seal of approval in one country.
The Times of London reports that the UK Department of Transportation says it complies with the letter of the law.
“The regulations on steering equipment (UN-ECE Regulation 79) do not stipulate any shape or size of the steering wheel,” says the one-sentence response, said the DFT.
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In fact, the department specifically references handlebars, forks and forks in its guidelines for automotive safety inspections.
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The unusual controls on the new Tesla go beyond the shape of the wheel, however. There are no stems in the steering column. The turn signals and lights are operated by buttons on the spokes of the wheels and Elon Musk said that cars can “guess” the direction in which you want to go, so they do not require the manual operation of a transmission selector, which is provided by central touchscreen display just in case.
There is a caveat for British Tesla customers. The new Models S and X will not be available for delivery in the UK until 2022.