Jaguar Land Rover Sensory Steering wheel keeps you awake
Next-gen tiller said to keep driver's attention with rapid heating and cooling, also works with satnav to reduce distractionJaguar Land Rover (JLR) and tech partner, Glasgow University have come up with a novel approach to reduce driver distraction by inventing what it's calling the world's first 'Sensory Steering' wheel.
The new tech works to rapidly heat, or cool, the steering wheel far faster than current elements.
This, says engineers, will help bring to a driver's attention where to turn, change lane or warn of an approaching junction in poor weather conditions or when driving in unfamiliar roads.
The same tech has also been applied to the gear-shift paddles to tell the driver when they can hand over control to the car in conditions deemed fit for autonomous driving.
Motivating scientists and engineers at both the Scottish university and JLR is the desperate need to cut driver distraction, something that's claimed to play a part in 10 per cent of all fatal accidents in the USA, alone.
JLR says thermal spikes of temperature have proven to be an effective way of keeping drivers focused on the driving and not on their phones.
Currently, the tech can rapidly heat or cool one side of the steering wheel up to 60C, although JLR says if that's too hot a more comfortable peak temp can be set.
In the near future JLR suggests that the temp-based heating and cooling could be used for non-urgent notifications in partnership with artificial vibrations that could indicate more pressing matters, like low fuel or points of interest.
The use of thermal cues for satnav or directions has so far proven successful as a driver can receive direction without interrupting their conversation or music.
Commenting on the new innovation JLR's electrical research boss, Alexandros Mouzakitis, "Research has shown people readily understand the heating and cooling dynamics to denote directions and the subtlety of temperature change can be perfect for certain feedback that doesn’t require a more intrusive audio or vibration-based cue."
JLR has not revealed when, or if, we'll ever see the Sensory Steering wheel in its cars.
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