The new concept features advanced gesture control and hands-on detection to support level-three automation (driver intervention possibly necessary) and enhanced driver interaction. ZF will showcase the prototype at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) 2018 in Las Vegas from Jan 8-11.
On a divided lane highway, a level-three car can monitor its environment and watch out for other vehicles and hazards on the road. The human stays in the loop as a fall-back in case of a system failure. Beyond level three, cars are completely autonomous.
The new ZF steering wheel features a seven-inch LCD display in the centre and a LED light strip around the rim with blue indicating the car is in robot mode.
Using 10 sensors, the steering wheel device can detect whether the driver is exercising sufficient grip to be in control of the vehicle.
"As we prepare for level three automated functions, the handover of control between vehicle and driver using highly-accurate feedback will be critical", says Juergen Krebs, engineering vice-president at the company based in Friedrichshafen.
"We believe our new concept is the most intuitive and provides the clearest feedback to the driver."
ZF said the new wheel also means replacing the driver's side airbag with a new device which deploys from the rear of the new steering wheel.
