Application of New Systems for Positioning the Steering Wheel in Vehicles for the Improvement of Ergonomics in Autonomous Driving

Abstract

The current location of the steering wheel in the car makes accessibility to the driver’s seat difficult for people with physical or mobility problems. Additionally, the external visibility of the steering wheel when the vehicle is parked could be a factor of lack of security in car theft. The automotive industry is currently facing the challenge of achieving completely autonomous driving, with this challenge being a new line of research. In light of these problems this paper presents a new concept that surpasses the state of the art by improving the user’s experience in the decision of autonomous or guided driving of the vehicle. Similarly, the proposed system allows several functionalities such as extending the driver’s room and improving comfort, especially for people with reduced mobility, or as an anti-theft system due to lack of visibility of the steering wheel making it difficult to steal the car.