Steering Wheel 3D Touch Interface for Low-Distraction Input

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle user interfaces, particularly those with two-dimensional displays and physical buttons, face challenges such as user distraction, difficulty in accurate input on touch-sensitive displays, and complexity in button functionality, which affect user-friendliness and safety.

Innovation Solution

A user interface featuring a two-dimensional display combined with an optical faceplate comprising a three-dimensional touch-sensitive surface, which provides tactile feedback and reduces the need for physical buttons by integrating a contextual digital interface on a steering wheel.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a two-dimensional touchscreen display is used to provide multiple functions, then the number of functions increases, but user distraction and difficulty in accurate input increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of functionsVSAvoiduser distraction and input accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines a two-dimensional touchscreen display with a three-dimensional optical faceplate into a single integrated user interface. The faceplate overlays the touchscreen, merging digital functionality with physical tactile feedback in one component, allowing multiple functions to be accessed without eliminating touch sensitivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The optical faceplate acts as an intermediary between the user's finger and the touchscreen display. It transmits touch input to the display while providing physical tactile feedback, mediating the interaction to reduce distraction and improve input accuracy while maintaining full touchscreen functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If physical buttons are used to provide tactile feedback and blind operation capability, then ease of operation improves, but device complexity and number of buttons increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetactile feedback and blind operationVSAvoidnumber of buttons

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The optical faceplate creates a physical copy or representation of the digital interface elements on the touchscreen. It replicates the visual display patterns in a tactile form that can be felt, allowing users to locate and operate controls by touch alone without needing to see the display or remember button positions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The single optical faceplate component serves multiple functions: it provides tactile feedback, enables blind operation, maintains touchscreen sensitivity, and can be configured to represent different sets of controls depending on the displayed content, replacing what would otherwise require multiple separate physical buttons.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If a three-dimensional display surface is added to provide tactile feedback, then physical affordance improves, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvephysical affordanceVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The optical faceplate is implemented as a thin film or shell structure that can be manufactured using techniques similar to conventional touchscreen production. This thin-film approach provides the necessary three-dimensional tactile features while maintaining ease of manufacture and integration with existing display technologies.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enhances user interaction by reducing distraction, improving input accuracy, and simplifying complex functionalities while maintaining physical affordance, thus enhancing safety and usability.

Implementation Method 1

an optical faceplate comprising a contact surface, a three-dimensional display surface for displaying information, and an optic light guide material provided between the contact surface and the three-dimensional display surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOptical light guide: Waveguide (optics)

Data Source

PatentUS12466459B2User interface for a vehicle, a steering wheel for a vehicle and a vehicle

Publication Date: 2025.11.11 BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AG

AI summary

A user interface for a vehicle presents visible information and acquires user input. The user interface includes a two-dimensional display and an optical faceplate. The two-dimensional display displays information on a display portion. The optical faceplate includes a contact surface, a three-dimensional display surface, and an optic light guide material provided between the contact surface and the three-dimensional display surface. The two-dimensional display includes a pixel arrangement. The contact surface contacts the two-dimensional display to transmit information from the pixel arrangement to the three-dimensional display surface. The three-dimensional display surface is touch sensitive. The optical faceplate is arrangeable within a cabin of the vehicle.