Monday 13th June 2011

Researchers Working On Touch Screen Steering Wheel

It's like an iPad mixed with a steering wheel...

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Researchers from various German universities have come up with a prototype touch screen steering wheel.

But before you start worrying that we'll soon be expected to steer our cars as if we're using an iPod scroll wheel fear not - this is a steering wheel that uses a touch screen in its centre for controlling radio or navigation systems.

Although steering wheels already have wheel-mounted controls, the complicated nature of many modern cars and the multiplicity of gadgets and gizmos means drivers often have to look away from the road to focus on in-dash TFT screens.

This steering wheel aims to eliminate that (or at least minimise it). It's the creation of a team from University of Stuttgart, University of Duisburg-Essen and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence and is made from an 11mm-thick acrylic surrounded by a ring of infrared LEDS. At the bottom (the centre of the wheel boss, if you like) is an infrared camera, which detects reflections on the surface of the screen when you touch it

Following a series of tests, the team has concluded that the technology could significantly reduce the amount of a time a driver would need to take their eyes away from the road. The research team is apparently currently discussing with car makers the possibility of getting the system into a prototype vehicle.

[jaik]

This sounds like a terrible idea. How is removing tactile physical buttons and replacing them with a touchscreen going to stop people taking their eyes off the road?

Currently I use steering mounted controls (which are actually on the column, so don't have to be hunted for while the wheel isn't straight) without looking, and sometimes glance at an LCD to check the radio station or similar while doing so.

With a touchscreen I'd have to look at the steering wheel, which is closer than the current LCD and therefore going to take longer to focus on, to find the "button", press it, then keep looking at the screen to see if it's worked?

[GreigM]

How about heads-up-displays or (good) voice control? Sounds like a waste of time/money.

[freecar]

What a pointless idea.

Buttons on the steering wheel for the audio as they are tactil they do not require looking at.

You shouldn't need to use your navigation while driving anyway, set the destination before you set off.

[Japcarnut]

where's the airbag going to go? - have to be one of those new "down from the roof" one's here then? like this... http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyI...
I don't like any move away from using thumbs or stalks here - using tips of fingers AND having to look at it seems potentially dangerous...
Makes you wonder if they are just trying to demo their technology and get some headlines, rather than have a serious prototype.

[thinfourth2]

The advantage over a button which you can feel is??

Buttons are good you can work them without looking.

[Gixer_fan]

Excellent idea - it'll make texting while driving much more user friendly...

[Chas-Chiro]

What a bloody stupid idea. Let's make the car a toy for gadget boffs as we we already have everybody else buying one as use for transport. What a great way to make the roads safer - not!!!

A good heads up display, voice activated controls and infra red night vision on heads up display to be able to spot people or animals at night is much better.

These companies only employ kids now with a degree and no common sense or real world experience.

[Mermaid]

Chas-Chiro said:

What a bloody stupid idea. Let's make the car a toy for gadget boffs as we we already have everybody else buying one as use for transport. What a great way to make the roads safer - not!!!

These companies only employ kids now with a degree and no common sense or real world experience.

so the chances of seeing this in real life are pretty good then

[The Black Flash]

Afraid I've got to add to the chorus of "dumb".
I fail to see any usability advantage from using a touchscreen in this application.

[joz8968]

Echoing the sentiments above, different shaped/placed physical buttons become second nature - once 'learnt', you don''t look at them!

That's the reason why I bought a fully learning URC (for my AV system) that has lots of physical, tactile buttons -- rather than one where the 'buttons' are in the form of a shapeless, flat LCD screen.

Idea seems cranky.

Edited by joz8968 on Monday 13th June 15:31

[Escort Si-130]

This is bullocks. I can steer without looking at the wheel. I guess this is for numpty drivers that have to look at the steering wheel all the time. The sat nav idiot would still be glancing at the sat nav regardless of this invention. They are the twit that would drive off a cliff if the sat nav told them to without not using common sense to realise they would kill themself.

[MacW]

^^^^ What they said.

[timewatch]

Maybe for Luke Skywalker but not for a car.

TW>>>

[g3org3y]

If it ain't broke...

[thinfourth2]

You only need 1 button and 1 knob in a car anyway to control all the stuff which isn't used for driving

One button to make radio 4 start or stop and a knob to control the volume

What else would you need

[ellisd82]

Pure dangerous idea! And not in the Cool danger kinda way, like a V8 strapped to a skateboard. The inventors are a danger in themselves if they think this is a good idea!

[Zod]

Dumb idea. The steering wheel boss is not in line of sight and is quite awkardly placed. A clever solution would be an interactive HUD with clickable trackpads for the thumbs on the wheel.

[Liquid Knight]

Parrot AR Drone.

Next.

[bobberz]

Chas-Chiro said:

What a bloody stupid idea. Let's make the car a toy for gadget boffs as we we already have everybody else buying one as use for transport. What a great way to make the roads safer - not!!!

A good heads up display, voice activated controls and infra red night vision on heads up display to be able to spot people or animals at night is much better.

These companies only employ kids now with a degree and no common sense or real world experience.

IIRC Cadillac (on the STS) and BMW both had these as options in the late '90s. Not sure how effective they were but I've talked to GM techs who said they were a b!tch to fix. Surely with tech having moved on over a decade, HUD and night-vision should be a no-brainer.

As for a touch screen steering wheel, doesn't sound like a good idea. What happens when you go to change the radio station, but instead the boot opens because it's the adjoining "button"? Anyone with a touch screen phone should know what I'm talking about.

[Zod]

bobberz said:

IIRC Cadillac (on the STS) and BMW both had these as options in the late '90s. Not sure how effective they were but I've talked to GM techs who said they were a b!tch to fix. Surely with tech having moved on over a decade, HUD and night-vision should be a no-brainer.

Both available as options on many BMWs. I have the HUD on two cars and it is the future. I haven't seen night vision, so I can't judge its value.