Despite what you may have been taught when you learned to drive, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), you should keep your hands at "9 and 3" on the steering wheel while driving. This is because it will keep your hands and arms out of harm's way if the airbag deploys.
Many of us were taught that "10 and 2" was the best option, but that's no longer the case. At any rate, the Tesla Model S Plaid's steering yoke essentially forces drivers to comply with NHTSA's suggestion. Interestingly, Consumer Reports said it thinks the yoke shows little benefit.
The refreshed Model S' steering yoke certainly rubbed some people the wrong way, especially when they learned that there may not be the option to get a "normal" steering wheel from Tesla. Some people went so far as to make silly videos trying to prove that the Plaid's yoke would most certainly cause accidents.
To be fair, any new feature in a car that has the potential to throw a driver off, distract them, or take them out of their comfort zone could easily cause an accident. Plaid drivers were frustrated and concerned early on, though it seems that many of them developed new muscle memory and are now comfortable with the yoke.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has raved about the yoke, saying that he loves it. Many other Tesla fans are now following suit. The yoke provides a clear view of the car's instrument cluster, which would be partially blocked by a traditional steering wheel. However, it also helps assure that a driver's hands are kept at "9 and 3."
This largely overlooked detail was brought to light by a recent video published by Munro Live and shared by our friends at Teslarati. As part of the channel's Model S Plaid teardown, it produced a lengthy interior design and analysis video, which features a "vehicle interior expert."
There's a whole lot more to learn from the video above, so give it a watch when you have time. Then, scroll down and start a conversation about the Model S Plaid's yoke in the comment section below. We've included Consumer Reports' earlier video below.
