I’m not sure why the designers have opted for a rectangular shaped steering wheel. Almost all vehicles on the road today use round steering wheels and there is good reason for that, it works. Regarding the center console, it seems like a distraction to avert your eyes down and to the right. Tesla started with this design and a lot of companies are copying this. Seems like a way to cut costs by putting a touchscreen tablet In the center of the car. A dashboard in front of the driver behind the steering wheel makes sense and has worked for a long time, for good reason, it only requires a quick glance down to check the speed or other important displays.
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Tesla's implementation of the center screen isn't anywhere near the distraction most people think it is. The speedometer is at the same vertical level as it would be on a screen behind the wheel, it's just slightly off to one side. The few times I've driven a Model 3, seeing the speed has not been an issue. The only thing that's harder in the 3 than the Model S is watching what Autopilot is doing, which I don't plan on doing in the Aptera.
It's actually been the opposite. Whenever I have one hand on the top of the wheel, my hand blocks the speedometer in my Bolt, but the 3's remains visible.
https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/60555f91f63ea90015450afa
https://www.aptera.us/forum/aptera-design-discussion/disappointing-interior-design-decision
Hey Leo. I too am not sold on the idea of a rectangular steering wheel, but before commenting anymore, I would really need to test drive the cycle. It would depend upon what the steering ratio is...lock to lock. In the case of most motorcycles, the ratio is 1:1 so in that case the rectangular wheel makes sense. Maybe some forum members know if the cycle will be equipped with rack and pinion steering which the steering ratio is usually pretty low in ratio. I am hoping they don't use a recirculating ball steering which usually has a higher ratio thus requires multiple rotations of the wheel to go lock to lock. A vehicle this size will most likely not require a power steering mechanism. Many sports vehicles have a steering wheel which is squared off at the bottom. My Porsche's wheel is like that. The only reason it is rounded at the top is that most sports cars still have instrumentation and readouts above the steering column.
As far as instrumentation is concerned, the Model S, their first true production model has a smaller screen right above the steering column which has read-outs of more vital road information such as speed and battery capacity, GPS map and navigation. This is true also of the Model X. Tesla's lower end models such as the Model 3 and Model Y have lost this main screen and have only the center screen for all vehicle information and controls. But in the defense of Tesla, please remember that Elon's goal was to have all his vehicles "self-drive". At that point, even someone seated in the driver's seat will not require total eyes on the road. He can be watching his favorite TV show, catch up on news, or Kindle book on the center shared screen.