Tesla has added touch-capacitive buttons to the updated Model Y steering wheel. However, it seems that the turn-signal functions are absent from those controls. If Tesla’s Australian site is any indication, then the Model Y’s—if not all—right-hand-drive versions will still feature a column-mounted stalk for turn signals. The Tesla Model Y has never been a model of interior ergonomics, with its single center-mounted screen and limited usage of physical controls. This isn’t going to change with the updated Model Y that was just released. Early pictures provided by Tesla show that the electric small SUV doesn’t have a typical shifter mounted on the steering column. Instead, it has the same predictive-shifting technology as the Model 3, Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck. Two features seem to have been removed from those spokes in the updated Model Y, even though it now has the touch-capacitive buttons that used to be on the steering wheel. They’re mostly the left and right turn lights. If Tesla’s Australian website is any indicator, the SUV still has a traditional turn-signal stalk situated on the steering column. On the other hand, the spokes on the steering wheel look like they have touch-capacitive buttons for controlling the windshield washer and flash-to-pass functions. This means that the stalk only handles the turn signals. It makes more sense and is easier to use to control those two jobs with the turn signal stalk, but we’ll take any win we can get because we don’t have a choice. Putting the turn signals on the steering wheel has been one of Tesla’s worst ergonomic choices. The left and right turn signals on almost all current cars are controlled by the up and down positions of the stalk on the left side. However, there isn’t always a standard way to set other traditionally stalk-mounted functions. It’s not clear if this issue is only happening in certain places or if it’s a problem with Tesla’s website in Australia. When the updated Model Y comes to the US later this year, we hope it has this small but important piece of ergonomic hardware.
