Movable Steering Wheel Pivoting for Airbag Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles lack a safe and efficient solution for housing a driver-side airbag without a steering wheel, posing risks during autonomous system failures and requiring a mechanism for manual control when needed.
Innovation Solution
A movable steering wheel that can be pivoted between a driving and stowed position, with the airbag mounted elsewhere, such as the dashboard or roof, and an electronic control unit managing its movement and deployment, ensuring safe operation and reduced development costs through commonality with passenger-side arrangements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If the steering wheel is removed in autonomous vehicles, then automation is improved, but safety and manual control capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The steering wheel is designed to be movable between a stowed position (out of driver reach) and a deployed position (within driver reach). This dynamic reconfiguration allows the vehicle to transition between autonomous and manual driving modes, resolving the contradiction by providing both automation during normal operation and manual control capability when needed.
2Extent of automation
If the steering wheel is removed, then automation is improved, but the ability to manually steer deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The steering wheel transitions from a static removed state to a dynamic movable component that can be brought into the driver's reach when manual operation is required, maintaining ease of manual operation while preserving automation benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The steering wheel is positioned in a stowed location prepared in advance, and can be quickly moved to the operational position when manual control is needed, ensuring rapid response to system failures or driver needs.
3Reliability
If the airbag is mounted on the steering wheel, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases when the steering wheel is movable
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag is extracted from the steering wheel structure and mounted separately on the dashboard. This separation allows the steering wheel to be moved freely between stowed and deployed positions without compromising airbag deployment, reducing device complexity while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety system is segmented into separate components: the movable steering wheel for control and the separately mounted airbag for safety. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each component's function and position.
Data Source
AI summary
A steering wheel position control system for a vehicle comprises a controller for a vehicle. The controller includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor. The controller is programmed to receive values from the sensors. The controller commands a pivot mechanism to bias a steering wheel to a stowed position based on values from the sensors. The controller also deploys an air bag based on values from the sensors, wherein the steering wheel is pivoted out of a space envelope of the deployed airbag.