Oh, the wonders of the modern car world, where innovation sometimes means chucking something as simple as a blinker lever out the window and then acting like it was a stroke of genius. Take Tesla, the company that always behaves as if it’s invented the future. In their latest Model 3, the Highland version, they decided the old-school blinker lever was passé. Out with it! Instead, they slapped a couple of buttons on the steering wheel. Because why make things easy when you can make them complicated?
Let’s rewind a bit. Back in the good old days—you know, before everything had to be touchscreen and button-obsessed—there was a simple stalk on your steering column. Pull it, and boom, your turn signals lit up. Left, right, whatever you wanted. But no, Tesla thought: let’s replace that with two buttons on the wheel. Press the left one for left, the right one for right. Sounds logical, right? Until you’re on a busy roundabout, your steering wheel spinning like mad, and you’re trying to figure out which button is where while avoiding a crash with the car next to you. Brilliant? More like a recipe for chaos. Drivers complained louder than a V8 at full throttle. “It’s unsafe!” they shouted. “It’s inconvenient!” And honestly, who can blame them? Try changing lanes quickly in traffic without looking—with buttons on a rotating wheel, it’s like juggling grenades.
This isn’t the first time Tesla’s pulled a stunt like this. In their pricier models, like the Model S and X, they’d already ditched the lever. It fit perfectly with their minimalist philosophy: fewer buttons, more screens, and a dashboard that looks like a giant iPad on wheels. Elon and his crew must’ve thought we’re all cyborgs who can find buttons intuitively without looking. But the reality? People are creatures of habit. We want to feel that lever, pull it, and know it works. No fuss.
And now, after all the grumbling from customers—because yes, even Tesla fans have their limits—they’re backtracking. In China, of all places, they’re offering a fix. For new Model 3s, the lever is back as standard, inspired by the upcoming Model Y Juniper, which is also getting the old-school stalk. And for those stuck with a Highland? Don’t panic, you can have one retrofitted. For a measly 350 bucks—about 300 euros, depending on the exchange rate—they’ll slap an aftermarket lever into your car at a Tesla service center. It’s not a full overhaul; they just tweak the steering wheel, and voila, you’re back in the Stone Age of car design. But for now, only in China. The rest of the world has to wait, though rumors are swirling it’ll come here too. Because, let’s be real, if the Chinese want it, the rest will follow.
Why the U-turn? Simple: backlash. Tesla may think they’re the smartest kids on the block, but customers vote with their wallets. And when enough people moan about unsafe buttons—especially in heavy traffic where you need to react fast—you listen. It’s a rare moment of humility for a company that usually thinks it knows best. Or maybe it’s just clever business: sell a “solution” to a problem you created yourself. Ka-ching!
Of course, this whole blinker drama says a lot about the electric car world. Tesla pushes boundaries, and sometimes they trip over their own shoelaces. But let’s be honest, it keeps things exciting. Without these shenanigans, driving would be boring. So, next time you’re in your Tesla cursing those buttons, know there’s hope. The lever’s making a comeback, even if it comes with a price tag.
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