A new video has emerged showing the fully-revamped interior of the Model S Refresh. This comes after a number of sightings of this new version of Tesla’s premium sedan. The clip shows some of the new interior elements. This includes its 8″ second-row display, steering wheel with lighted buttons, and large 17″ centre display.
Recently, someone photographed a white Model S refresh while it was parked in Carmel, California. The vehicle featured several interesting elements, such as ventilated seats and a non-yoke steering wheel. It strangely didn’t have any of the buttons featured in the Model S refresh’s online configurator. Some of the vehicle’s interior trim was also taken off, providing a look at the large sedan’s HVAC system and door trim.
Spotted a #Tesla #ModelS #Plaid test mule in Carmel, CA today. New interior, but a regular steering wheel, no yoke! Wheel arches and overall stance is noticeably wider. pic.twitter.com/NZ2WnCQTKF
— Nick George (@nickrgeorge) February 21, 2021
The Interior Clip
This feels illegal to watch. pic.twitter.com/5UyY4pLiNU
— Chris (@icsichris) February 23, 2021
As is visible in the video, the refreshed sedan’s steering wheel buttons light up when you turn on the vehicle. The short clip also provided the first look at the vehicle’s 8″ second-row display. This display will fulfill the purpose of gaming for rear passengers. Looking at the screen size and rear space, it would be difficult for gaming when the car is in motion.
The main 17″ touchscreen clearly hogs the limelight at the front. Now in a horizontal position than a portrait one, it controls almost all of the vehicle’s functions. The Model 3 and Model Y have a similar design, but its size is 15″. The added two inches of screen will provide the passengers with an enriched experience. Many people noted that the overall UI seems to be the same.
Tesla had said during the Q4 Earnings Call that deliveries will start towards the end of February. While no one has spotted delivered models yet, many people have seen test models, indicating that deliveries are just around the corner.
More About The Steering Yoke
When you talk about the new, refreshed Model S, you cannot ignore the ‘steering yoke’ for long. Apart from the 17″ central touchscreen, the yoke is the thing that catches your attention inside. However, it is quite possible that this is just another option for the new Model S vehicles.
Another test model was spotted in Toledo, Ohio, which was without the yoke. The person who clicked these images asked the guys at the service centre about it. They said that it will most probably be an option, but Tesla hasn’t confirmed it yet. The option isn’t available on the online configurator.
Refresh Tesla Model S with traditional steering wheel spotted in Toledo, Ohio https://t.co/28kcpNon5n
— Drive Tesla ?? #FSDBetaCanada (@DriveTeslaca) February 17, 2021
The shape of the wheel is not the only issue. There are no stalks on the wheel either, to change driving mode (PRND), or to activate the indicators. Instead, there will be force-touch buttons on the wheel. They have also shifted the position of the horn button from the centre of the wheel (yoke) to one side. The drive modes will be automatically selected using the Autopilot sensors to decide if it should be in park, reverse or drive mode. Some of these ‘features’ seem over-the-top, and they might over-complicate things which are quite convenient in real life.
Bigger Side Repeater Cameras For FSD
Tesla launched the beta version of the Full Self-Driving (FSD) suite in late October last year. The first reactions to this new technology were amazing, as many people admired Tesla’s approach, while others were a bit critical. In a recent interview, Elon Musk mentioned the goal Tesla is looking to achieve through the new FSD suite. There have been some issues with this new software, but many of them are due to incorrect markings on the roads rather than any glitches. However, Musk said that irrespective of the markings on the roads, any self-driving car should be able to manoeuvre the car properly.
With the focus on an upcoming RoboTaxi service, Tesla is starting to get the hardware in place as soon as possible. They have increased the size of the side repeater cameras, for instance. According to experts, the size of these cameras is more than the previous iterations, which will allow it to cover a wider view. This will improve the performance of the sensing system of the autonomous suite.
Our Opinion
Model S Refresh has hogged quite a bit of spotlight in the past month or so. A number of interior changes have been welcomed, while others have received polarizing opinions. The overall wider stance was already expected, but the subtle changes to the exterior make it look aggressive. This keeps it in line with the performance specs, which, especially for the Plaid variant, are mind-boggling. We have also heard a lot of speculation around the Plaid+, which will be the costliest Tesla till now, but nothing is confirmed yet. The track testing has given a lot of impressive results, but we’ll have to wait until its release for more details.
