Why China banned this new car feature used by Tesla, Lexus and Mercedes you probably didn't want anyway

Formula 1 yoke-style steering wheels in cars will be been banned in China after government testing found them not only more difficult to use but potentially more dangerous in accidents, according to a report.

Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Tesla and several other carmakers will have to revert to traditional style round steering steering wheels from 2027 in China, after it was found yoke steering wheels could present unnecessary hazards.

Chinese publication Autohome reports that China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has drawn up draft legislation banning the yoke steering wheels.

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According to the government findings, yoke steering wheels risk concentrating too much force on the driver in a collision compared to round steering wheels which diffuse the force over a larger area.

Airbag deployment was also found to be potentially more hazardous on yoke-style steering wheels compared to rounder ones.

Finally it was also seen that yoke-style steering wheels were more difficult to use in environments that required larger steering inputs such as urban areas with tight turns or manoeuvring in spaces requiring constant changes of direction such as parking.

While yoke steering wheels in cars aren’t new, there has been a resurgence led by some brands such as Lexus in its RZ small SUV and Tesla in its Model S and X over the years to add a futuristic look and feel to their vehicle cabins. The upcoming Mercedes-Benz EQS will also be offered with a yoke -style wheel, too.

Tesla Model S

Mercedes-Benz EQS

Yoke steering wheels are used in Formula 1 due to their compact dimensions in cramped cockpits along with putting vehicle controls under the driver’s fingertips for instant reactions.

The yoke steering wheel works perfectly in Formula 1 where steering is calibrated specifically for a track. On a public road, however, which presents a wide variety of steering inputs, the yoke steering wheels can be more challenging for a driver and may represent a safety risk.

The Chinese ruling, which when passed will mandate all cars from next year to have circular steering wheels, could force the hand of other car makers to follow suit. And with Australia now seeing more and more Chinese brands or China-sourced vehicles coming to Australia it’s unlikely they’ll arrive with anything other than traditional circular steering wheels either.