Tesla has a new high-tech steering wheel with touch screens and haptic feedback

Tesla wants to reinvent the steering wheel… the steering wheel, that is. The carmaker is working on a new steering-wheel-based user interface with a host of new features, including one that replaces the gear lever, a bunch of touch screens, haptic feedback and more, according to a new patent application.

To change gear in a Tesla vehicle, you use a gear stalk attached to the steering column, which is uncommon in passenger vehicles other than trucks.

Tesla has filed a new patent for a new user interface based on the steering wheel that includes touch screens on each side and one at the bottom, which replaces the gear stalk, according to the images in the patent filing, as shown above.

The patent states that “the steering wheel user interface may additionally include indicators provided in a lower portion of the steering wheel indicative of a selected gear of the vehicle. For example, the user interface may provide illuminated indications of activation of the Park, Reverse, Neutral or Drive modes. Additionally or optionally, the steering wheel may include RFID detection and NFC activation functionality.”

Tesla will revolutionise dashboards

The carmaker describes how the driver interacts with the new steering wheel, “by interacting with the user interface provided on the steering wheel, the user may select, update and/or navigate through a menu of controls. Additionally, based on the gestures performed and recognised by the user interface, the user may also receive feedback on the selections made with respect to the set or menu of controls.”

“This user interaction may be manifested through gestural movements performed directly on the user interface and/or based on the indication of the user’s intention to interact with the user interface, which may be estimated by determining when the user’s digits approach the user interface. For example, via proximity sensors, the user interface may sense that the user’s digit is approaching a control manipulation functionality on the user interface, causing the user interface to provide feedback to the user.”

In the application, Tesla also describes how touch screens can provide haptic feedback. They are planning some features for when that arrives: “for example, when a vehicle supports autonomous driving, the inputs may include more inputs requiring additional gestures. The inputs may access functionality that would be too distracting when driven by a human driver, even with driver-assistance functionality, such as television or another screen, or multimedia functionality. In embodiments, the input may be handwriting or other complex gestures.”

Felix Godard and Joris Aerts designed the new steering wheel concept respectively, according to the patent application. Godard was a former designer of the Porsche Taycan whom Tesla hired, and he is credited with the design of the Model 3 steering wheel.

Here is the full patent application: