Hyundai Touch Steering Wheel Concept – the virtual cockpit of the future

VR technology and the latest HMI concepts are set to revolutionise the vehicle interior in the future. Modern appearance coupled with simple and safe operation by the driver are the focus of developments here. Taking these requirements into account, we assisted the Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center (HMETC) with the development of an innovative virtual cockpit and steering wheel.

For distraction-free driving, all of the mechanical keys on the steering wheel have been replaced by touch-sensitive controls in the form of touch displays. For quick and comfortable operation, favourites can be stored on these. The driver can then use them to operate all functions in the car – from radio volume to seat heating – without letting go of the steering wheel. The controls called up via the steering wheel are displayed on a full-screen monitor in the instrument cluster, so there is no need for the driver to look at the steering wheel.

Haptic feedback permits blind operation

The displays are configured in such a way that a simple touch will not immediately activate a function; this will not happen until the user presses the control surface concerned a little harder. As confirmation, the driver receives a button click, which he perceives with his finger. This haptic feedback permits blind operation while driving. This is realised by means of a our haptic feedback actuator, which was implanted into Hyundai's Virtual Cockpit. The haptic module enables freely programmable feedback patterns, and can be used with displays of almost any size. In addition, it also serves to mount the display and measure finger pressure.