TOYOTA CITY, Japan — Lexus' new yoke-style steering looks funky, and it drives a little funky.
But the Japanese premium brand plans to advance the technology by combining jet-age looks with an advanced, ultraprecise steer-by-wire system in the upcoming RZ all-electric crossover.
The high-tech setup, tested by Automotive News in June at Lexus’ proving ground, also one-ups the yoke steering system deployed by Tesla by resolving one of that system’s confounding issues. Tesla's butterfly design, reminiscent of an airplane control or Formula One wheel, earned lackluster reviews when it debuted in the Model S and Model X because drivers must awkwardly spin it all the way around. But since the yoke has a flat top and bottom, there is no easy handhold.