Unlock instant, AI-driven research and patent intelligence for your innovation.

Removable steering wheel and pedals for autonomous vehicles

A steering wheel removal technology, applied to steering control, vehicle components, vehicle safety arrangements and other directions installed on the car, can solve problems such as difficulty in moderation or suspension, steering wheel inactivity, etc.

Active Publication Date: 2021-11-05
FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC
View PDF5 Cites 0 Cited by
  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Not being able to manually steer the vehicle can result in putting the test driver at higher risk because such maneuvers are more difficult to moderate or abort when done under voluntary control or with unfamiliar electronic controls such as joysticks
Additionally, some car owners may prefer the familiarity of a vehicle with a steering wheel, or may require a steering wheel to allow imaginary control by the vehicle occupant, even if the steering wheel is inactive in autonomous mode

Method used

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
View more

Image

Smart Image Click on the blue labels to locate them in the text.
Viewing Examples
Smart Image
  • Removable steering wheel and pedals for autonomous vehicles
  • Removable steering wheel and pedals for autonomous vehicles
  • Removable steering wheel and pedals for autonomous vehicles

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

Embodiment Construction

[0056] The removable steering wheel can be moved between an installed driving position and a stowed position separate from the vehicle. An exemplary steering wheel includes an air bag. Therefore, when the steering wheel is removed, the driver's side airbag is installed at a location other than when the steering wheel is in use. In one exemplary configuration, the steering wheel module is replaced with a stuffer module that includes the airbag. The system architecture enables the use of a steering wheel for development purposes and enables the easy provision of a steering wheel as an option requested by customers.

[0057] Relative orientations and directions (by way of example, above, below, bottom, rear, front, rear, rearward, lateral, medial, inward, outward, rightward, rightward) are not intended to be limiting in this specification for convenience The reader delineates at least one embodiment of the described structure.

[0058] figure 1 , figure 2 and Figure 5 A p...

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

PUM

No PUM Login to View More

Abstract

A fascia assembly for a vehicle includes a fascia defining a receiving recess. The recess can be aligned with the driver seat position and can be selectively filled by each of the removable steering module and the removable filler module. The removable steering module includes a steering module base. The steering wheel support is secured to the steering module base. A steering wheel is rotatably fixed to the steering wheel support. The steering wheel connector connects the steering wheel to the vehicle steering actuators. The removable filler module includes a filler module base.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to the field of vehicle equipment, and more particularly, to a removable steering wheel and pedals for an autonomous vehicle. Background technique [0002] In an autonomous vehicle that is capable of driving from one location to another, typically without one or more inputs (eg, steering) provided by a human operator, a steering wheel is no longer required to steer the vehicle. However, existing vehicles typically rely on the steering wheel to accommodate the driver's side airbag. Additionally, the lack of a steering wheel can hamper vehicle development by making it more difficult to place the vehicle under the driver's control. Driver control is desired during vehicle development to include, for example, assessing the vehicle's response to extremely dynamic maneuvers such as rapid lane changes. The inability to manually steer the vehicle may result in putting the test driver at higher risk because such maneuvers are mor...

Claims

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

Application Information

Patent Timeline
no application Login to View More
Patent Type & Authority Patents(China)
IPC IPC(8): B60K37/04B62D1/04B60R21/203B60R21/205B60K35/10
CPCB60R21/203B60R21/205B62D1/04B60K35/50B60K2026/023B60K26/02B60T7/04B60K2360/834B60K2360/828B60K37/10B62D1/16B62D25/14B60K37/00B60K35/10B60R7/06B60R2021/0004B62D1/183
Inventor 史蒂文·R·埃尔·艾里约翰·P·乔伊斯安德鲁·布朗斯科特·J·劳弗萨梅尔·阿巴斯
Owner FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC