Ah cool! After i raced irl for like a decade I sim raced for a while. It was super fun! I’d like to get back into it someday. It’s a lot better on the wallet and body than IRL stuff (especially motorcycles).
I think it helps, but it probably is more of a selling point and aesthetic than an actual help on the (agreed) biggest selling point number.
It’s one of those decisions that someone up top probably made and has these kinds of stupid consequences of moving fast and breaking shit. I wouldn’t be upset if it had to go to a normal one
I saw a marketing blurb for the 2026 Nissan Leaf. They are also going with flush handles (hopefully a safer design) and claimed it for reduced drag to increase range. But, market, so could be just short of an outright lie.
I’ve been into sim racing for nearly a decade. There’s never been a better time to get into it IMO.
Sim racing games and equipment have gotten significantly better and cheaper over the last 5 years. Hydraulic pedals and direct drive wheelbases did exist, but they were in the $2k-$4k price range. Now you can get high quality gear with that technology for under $500.
iRacing and Assetto Corsa are still the kings, but we are spoiled for choice when it comes to excellent sims.
If you are any kind of gearhead you’ll love it. There are even thriving sub-hobbies for things like bass shakers and motion platforms, which add back some of the seat feeling that you miss out on versus IRL.
Did you do motorcycle racing IRL? I’ve seen crazy motorcycle sim builds with motion, lean, etc., but I don’t think serious simulators exist yet. I’d love to see it.
As for Tesla, I don’t think we can know unless a Tesla engineer/aerodynamicist chimes in. There are other more serious examples of executive meddling in engineering, like the use of visual cameras instead of radar/lidar. Working for them must be a hair-pulling experience for their engineers.
Ah cool! After i raced irl for like a decade I sim raced for a while. It was super fun! I’d like to get back into it someday. It’s a lot better on the wallet and body than IRL stuff (especially motorcycles).
I think it helps, but it probably is more of a selling point and aesthetic than an actual help on the (agreed) biggest selling point number.
It’s one of those decisions that someone up top probably made and has these kinds of stupid consequences of moving fast and breaking shit. I wouldn’t be upset if it had to go to a normal one
I saw a marketing blurb for the 2026 Nissan Leaf. They are also going with flush handles (hopefully a safer design) and claimed it for reduced drag to increase range. But, market, so could be just short of an outright lie.
I’ve been into sim racing for nearly a decade. There’s never been a better time to get into it IMO.
Sim racing games and equipment have gotten significantly better and cheaper over the last 5 years. Hydraulic pedals and direct drive wheelbases did exist, but they were in the $2k-$4k price range. Now you can get high quality gear with that technology for under $500.
iRacing and Assetto Corsa are still the kings, but we are spoiled for choice when it comes to excellent sims.
If you are any kind of gearhead you’ll love it. There are even thriving sub-hobbies for things like bass shakers and motion platforms, which add back some of the seat feeling that you miss out on versus IRL.
Did you do motorcycle racing IRL? I’ve seen crazy motorcycle sim builds with motion, lean, etc., but I don’t think serious simulators exist yet. I’d love to see it.
As for Tesla, I don’t think we can know unless a Tesla engineer/aerodynamicist chimes in. There are other more serious examples of executive meddling in engineering, like the use of visual cameras instead of radar/lidar. Working for them must be a hair-pulling experience for their engineers.