In days before announcing that he was retiring from Twitter for a time, Elon Musk took advantage of the popular social network to present to his 45 million followers the new Model S Plaid, a high-performance variant of the electric saloon that shoots up to 1,020 CV of power, accelerates from 0 to 100 km / h in just 2.1 seconds and reaches a top speed of 322 km / h. Almost nothing. The price in Spain of the Model S Plaid with 628 kilometers of autonomy is 119,990 euros.
But there is still another wild model, the extended-range Plaid which has a range of 837 kilometers and more than 1,100 horsepower. This version costs 139,990 euros. But perhaps what caused the most surprising was the new steering wheel aircraft or Formula 1 of the Model S Plaid, which will also carry the new Model X. The shape of the steering wheel attracts attention because far from being around or oval ring, it becomes very similar to the controls of an airplane rectangular, with a flat bottom and no upper edge, so the hands are placed in the two handles almost parallel.
The first question we asked ourselves is: Is it legal in Spain? Is its use allowed or must it pass the corresponding approval? We have contacted the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism and we have asked these same questions. The answer has raised some questions because the new Tesla steering wheel may require a specific homologation. The steering wheel as a unit is not homologated, although as an element of the front part of the vehicle and of the steering system.
The design of the steering wheel can have an impact on compliance with some regulations such as the frontal collision, the interior conditioning regulations, the regulation of the steering mechanism, or that of controls, indicators, and witnesses. The manufacturer has to analyze whether it is necessary to include it in the aforementioned regulations through the extension of the corresponding approvals explain sources from the Ministry of Tourism.
The manufacturer has to see if this change affects the approvals or not and if it affects, take it to technical service to do the relevant tests and thereby approve it,” add the same sources, who are waiting for Tesla to contact Industry to analyze this specific case. Today we learned that the Netherlands has approved the use of the steering wheel of the new Model S and Model X. According to the media in that country, the Netherlands National Highway Traffic Safety Administration assures that the Tesla steering wheel is allowed for public use. The shape of the steering wheel is not prescribed in any part of the legislation of the European Union or the ECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe), said the RDW, which is like the Dutch DGT.
Many cars already have a flattened steering wheel at the bottom. This not only makes it easier to get into the vehicle, but it is also easier to recognize which position the steering wheel is in. The trend is that more and more vehicles have rectangular steering wheels in the future. The number of turns from the far left to the far right is also not regulated. If this is only 90 to +90 degrees, there is no reason why it should have a top edge. So two handles will suffice, said the RDW to RTL Nieuws
