A steering wheel has been developed that can warn drivers of an upcoming navigation turn.
Announced by Jaguar Land Rover, it uses heat and cold sensations to alert drivers to the next turn.
The left and right sides of the steering wheel can be heated or cooled by about 10 degrees.
The change in temp can also be used to tell drivers to change lanes. It might warn of an upcoming junction. So it would handle less critical alerts.
The idea is to apply it in cases where a vibrating or haptic alert might be too annoying. The system might also be used to note upcoming points of interest or when fuel is getting low.
Jaguar Land Rover said the technology can also be applied to gear shift paddles to indicate when to handover from the driver to autonomous mode in the future.
The company said, “Driver distraction is a major contributor to road accidents around the world and accounts for 10 per cent of all fatal crashes in the USA alone. Jaguar Land Rover’s research suggests thermal cues could be a way to keep drivers fully focused on the road.”
The system was developed in partnership with Glasgow University. No word yet on bringing it to the market.
Source: Jaguar Land Rover
Why don’t fix the water leaks in every car in the trunk area where they put all the electronics for such a system first, then try to reinvent the wheel. Just a thought.
Honestly I agree with this. Even if we’re not talking about water leaks specifically, focus on making a better car than ridiculous stuff like this.