Toyota has filed a patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on a new steering wheel system that uses inflatable segments, helping users deliver adequate steering input for safer drives.
Imagine a tiller that shows you where to apply more steering input
In a report first published on CarBuzz, documents from the USPTO show a mechanism for a steering wheel that has a variable rim diameter. This could be achieved by tiny actuators or springs installed around the rim, electronically inflating and contracting the wheel at specific points.
The inflated portion of the wheel increases friction between the rim’s surface and the driver’s grip, indicating the specific direction in which more steering input is needed to safely execute a driving maneuver.
The tech electronically adjusts the steering wheel's rim diameter at specific points
In a car making a right turn, for instance, the driver can underestimate the necessary steering angle, causing the vehicle to go off the road. If the steering wheel expands at the portion corresponding to where the driver’s right hand is, it serves as a tactile indication of where to apply more steering force so that the vehicle can clear the turn properly.
The mechanism can also work with the autonomous steering system, enabling the car to correct its direction of travel even without the driver’s intervention.
Toyota’s patent filing states “a need exists for improved systems for allowing a vehicle to intervene with a driver’s control of a steering wheel without harming or distracting the driver.” Traditional lane-keeping assist systems involve vibration on the steering wheel as well as audible alerts to the driver that the car is deviating from the current lane.
Toyota says this is a less distracting way for drivers to keep their cars on the road
The automaker says that these methods of informing drivers are too distracting, as warning chimes make the driver look away from the road in response to a problem, compromising forward visibility and increasing the risk of accidents. If the technology makes its way into future Toyota vehicles, it could be added to the Toyota Safety Sense suite of driver-assist features, which includes a pre-collision system, lane departure alert, and dynamic radar cruise control.
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