Some car brands have almost literally reinvented the wheel. Lexus is one of them because it is one of the manufacturers that has chosen the famous (and controversial) steering yoke for its electric SUV: the Lexus RZ 450e. Japanese brands believe that, like all innovations, These futuristic oddities will eventually be accepted as commonplace. Something he explains in a video, where he doesn’t just explain the operation: it’s also the benefits.

The technology used receives, in Europe, the name One Motion Grip while in the United States it will be called Steer-By-Wire. The key lies in the direction: this system eliminates the physical connection between the front wheel and the steering wheel created something similar to a ‘virtual address’ which allows you to change the turning radius with respect to the wheel.

Those in charge of the Lexus RZ 450e have explained that the reason for the steering wheel yoke lies in one of the main characteristics of electric cars: direct transfer of power. They wanted to pair this with a headset to match that response and the only real way to do that was with One Motion Grip technology. At the same time, this type of pamphlet serves as a preview for those who will equip some of the autonomous vehicles that promise to fold up when not in use.

Real World Benefits

Knowing (and commenting on) the concept, Lexus has released a video via its UK channel explaining the difference between the traditional direction and its own, which, as we said earlier, has no physical connection whatsoever to the wheel. In this way, the Lexus RZ 450e will opt for a speed-optimized ratio: something that, according to the brand, will have a collection of benefits in the real world.

Lexus wants to maintain its yoke by demonstrating the superiority of driving a steering wheel that physically doesn’t have a top and that it just rotates 150 degrees: neither of the traditional two and a half turns to go from lock to lock. This feature will make it possible to reach the end of the line faster and facilitate low-speed maneuvers because, in theory, the driver does not need to cross his arms.

This translates, at the same time, to stability and comfort when higher speeds are achieved on highways and highways. It also offers faster reactions when correcting directions or placing the vehicle on more winding tracks. And lastly, this configuration also allows a better view of the instrument panel.

Future

Although the Lexus RZ 450e will go on sale in November, steering wheel yoke will take longer to become available and when the time comes, whoever chooses it won’t find the learning curve easy. It’s too early to tell if this system will be widely adopted and it’s hard to verify if it will be as effective as the brand claims, but something is undeniable: whether we like it more or less, it will be part of the future of the machine.