Volvo patents steering wheel that switches from LHD to RHD

Volvo is working on a clever solution to slash the cost of having to develop both right-hand drive and left-hand drive cars by patenting a steering wheel that can slide from one side to the other.

Registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office, the new invention by the Swedish car-maker is only possible thanks to its latest steer-by-wire technology that it is developing for its fully-autonomous driving aids.

Submitting the design to US officials, Volvo suggests that the sliding wheel will either be accompanied by a full-width instrument screen or a small instrument panel that slides with the steering binnacle.

As far as pedals goes, Volvo says pressure-sensitive floor panels allow for brake and accelerator functions on both sides of the cabin.

As well as offering either right- or left-hand drive, a central McLaren F1-style driving position is also possible, with future Volvos likely to come equipped with a modern take on the old bench seat.

Volvo isn't the first to experiment with flexible steering wheel positions. Mercedes-Benz has offered a mechanical slideable tiller on its Unimog truck that slides the wheel, dash and pedal assembly across the cab.

But the Volvo system is far neater and could prove useful in the future when justifying the extra cost of developing right-hand drive cars for markets like Australia.